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Four decades of youth leadership and safer roadsEducation Gazette 104.8
For 40 years, Kaitiaki o Ara | SADD (Students Against Dangerous Driving) has empowered rangatahi to lead road safety initiatives in their schools and communities. As the movement marks its 40th anniversary, students and educators reflect on its impact – and the data shows their voices are more vital than ever.
Road trauma is the greatest cause of harm for 16 to 24 year olds. Young drivers make up only seven percent of drivers, but 14 percent of crashes.
Forty years ago, a group of students at Mahurangi College decided they’d had enough of losing friends to preventable crashes. They took action and with that, Students Against Drunk Driving (SADD) was born.
Since 1985, SADD has grown into a nationwide, youth-led movement now known as Kaitiaki o Ara | SADD (Students Against Dangerous Driving). Today, thousands of rangatahi across Aotearoa are continuing that legacy – leading road safety initiatives in their schools and communities and tackling issues far beyond drunk driving, including speed, distraction, fatigue, drugs and risky decision-making behind the wheel.
For many students, joining SADD is a defining part of their high school years. It’s an opportunity to lead, influence their peers and take real-world action on an issue that impacts their lives directly.
SADD’s deputy youth representative, Olivia Adie, says working alongside people who are passionate about the same thing and who have the same goals has been great.
“Getting to meet with community partners such as police and developing my communication skills has been excellent – they are great life skills to have.”
Led by students, supported by schools
The strength of SADD lies in its youth-led approach. Students plan and deliver their own road safety awareness activities, such as pledge walls, distraction obstacle courses, poster and chalk displays, assembly presentations, even dress-up days, with support from a team of regional programme delivery leads and a huge suite of online resources.
Activities are designed to be flexible, creative and inclusive of different learning styles, making sure every student can contribute in a way that suits them.
Teachers play an important supporting role, often as contact teachers or mentors; but the beauty of SADD is that it’s designed to be student-led and not another demand on teachers’ time.
“SADD is an organisation that empowers the students to take control of their own fates on the road,” says Jason Cressingham, contact teacher at Te Pae Pae o Aotea in Taranaki.
“Through leading by example and creation of awareness, the youth of today are becoming leaders of the Road Safe programmes in their communities.”
Jason says the annual conferences are a highlight, and an opportunity for like-minded students to learn and share ideas to get the road safety message out into the communities.
“Having had the privilege to attend and observe two of the conferences has left me totally encouraged that we have amazing youth capable of sharing this messag
“The role of being the teacher contact to the SADD students is not overly onerous. You act as a bouncing board for your SADD group and assist with the background organisation if they require it.”
Jo Melton, a long-time SADD supporter at Te Puke High School, has been involved with SADD for many years.
“It is an organisation close to my heart, having lost a daughter to a drunk driver … We’ve run activities in SADD Week and Road Safety Week for 25 years.
“We used to act out dramatic crashes on the field … now we focus on encouraging safe driving with students pledging they will not go in a car with a dangerous driver. I have seen an improvement in student awareness of safe driving over the years.”
Integrated with learning
SADD is a movement that not only saves lives but provides rich, authentic learning experiences that can link directly into learning.
From business studies and English to health, social studies and geography, students across Aotearoa have found meaningful ways to tie SADD and road safety education into their classroom learning.
In Masterton, James focused his geography research on road safety along a stretch of road meaningful to his whānau, using mapping and data to explore local risks and solutions.
Hayley, a SADD leader from Gisborne, integrated SADD into a business studies project by developing a
student-led social enterprise campaign promoting safe driving.
Through this learning, students deepen their understanding of important social issues and learn transferable skills in communication, leadership, critical thinking and community engagement.
“Having been out of high school for over four years now, I still reflect fondly on my involvement with SADD/Kaitiaki o Ara in my final years of school,” says former SADD national leader Ben Bonne.
“I joined to make a positive difference in my community … Being a SADD national leader allowed me to push myself outside my comfort zone as a leader by engaging with big community stakeholders, as well as networking with other passionate young leaders.”
A legacy of leadership and insight
Beyond its core focus on road safety, SADD plays a powerful role in shaping the future of young people by fostering a wide range of life skills and career-ready capabilities.
Through their involvement, students build confidence in safe decision-making, strengthen their problem-solving abilities and gain experience in areas such as event planning, campaign design, evaluation and teamwork.
Many also explore career interests through exposure to emergency services, public health, education and community development sectors.
SADD supports students in understanding the real-world importance of driver licensing and compliance, helping them take steps toward independence and employability.
“When applying for internships and jobs, I often draw on my SADD experience,” says Tayla Hill, former SADD national leader and youth representative to the Board of Trustees, now studying environmental engineering at the University of Waikato.
“From being on the board to speaking at conferences, I’ve gained transferable skills that help me stand out. My involvement shows I’m not just technically capable – I also bring leadership, initiative and an understanding of community needs, especially from a youth perspective.
“Even while I was still at school, SADD gave me opportunities to work alongside police, local councils and road safety partners. Those experiences taught me how to communicate professionally and build relationships.”
SADD also works alongside other programmes like RYDA (Rotary Youth Driver Awareness), providing a wraparound approach where students continue the kōrero long after external workshops, embedding the learning through action and leadership.
With over 250 schools involved today and an estimated 400,000 young people positively influenced by SADD’s message over the past four decades, SADD is not just a programme; it’s a legacy of youth action and leadership that continues to evolve.
And the need for youth voices has never been more urgent. Recent data commissioned by the AA Research Foundation shows that 66 percent of young drivers have admitted to speeding in 50 kmh zones, 23 percent have used social media while driving and one in three have been in a crash in the past five years.
As SADD marks 40 years, the message is clear: when students lead, powerful change follows.
Further reading
Visit the SADD website to read more about road safety in the curriculum.
Read more about James’ geography research on road safety.
Read more about how Hayley integrated SADD into her Business Studies project.
