Toyota NZ is backing a national school-level driver education scheme.

FOUR cars for staff and $225,000 funding is being provided by Toyota New Zealand to a young driver training programme.

Support for the Road Safety Education Limited RYDA programme, which runs at more than 150 high schools nationally and reaches more than 10,000 students annually, was announced today.

In provided comment, the Palmerston North-based new passenger car sector sales leader says RYDA provides a ‘whole of school’ approach through an engaging and memorable workshop supported by online learning and classroom resources to high school students.

The three-year partnership will see the money go toward supporting RYDA’s school education programmes. Four Corolla Cross hybrids will be used by the RYDA team.

Toyota New Zealand’s vce president of marketing, Andrew Davis, says the programme has been making a tangible impact by contributing to a reduction in deaths and serious injuries.

“Young drivers aged between 16 and 24 are at far greater risk of being involved in fatal or serious injury crashes,” he cites.

“Over the past 10 years, around 7,000 young people aged 16-24 were killed or seriously injured on our roads.”

TNZ reminds the economic cost, though huge, at an estimated $4.9 million annually, is insignificant to the huge human cost.

TNZ’s goal through supporting RYDA is to accelerate national progress in reducing road deaths, and the partnership formed an important component of its commitment to supporting local communities.

The brand has previously involved with driver training, notably at local area level with support for a scheme at Manfeild circuit, in Feilding, where students learned to drive in distributor-provided early-generation Prius cars.

Road Safety Education Limited NZ general manager Maria Lovelock says the goal is to eventually reach every Year 12 student with the RYDA programme, which is Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency approved.