Honda Insight Drives Home the Importance of Road Safety

TULLAMARINE, AUSTRALIA – Oct 26, 2011: Community-based not for profit organisation, Road Trauma Support Services Victoria (RTSSV) is now proudly driving a Honda Insight Hybrid, on loan from The Honda Foundation.

Ringwood Honda handed over the keys to the very economical and exceptionally safe Honda Insight to drive home the importance of road safety. The Honda Heroes program, an initiative of The Honda Foundation, provides loan vehicles to charitable organisations in need, such as RTSSV.

Since its inception in 1994, RTSSV has dedicated all their efforts to reducing the severe impact of road trauma through the provision of services including counselling support and education programs. A small group of volunteers, whose lives had been adversely affected by road trauma, founded the organisation, working with some professional assistance to provide support services.

“Working in the automotive industry, we cannot place enough value on volunteer programs that support the families and friends of road trauma victims,” said The Honda Foundation’s Chairman, Lindsay Smalley.

“Volunteers are being provided one of our safest vehicles, as they work to change attitudes about driving and reduce risk-taking behaviour.”

In 2011 over six hundred free, face-to-face and telephone counselling sessions were provided to Victorians whose lives have been affected by grief and trauma following a motor vehicle crash, by professional counsellors. Supporting their efforts, brave volunteers share their personal experiences at Road Trauma awareness programs for young offenders, and offer peer support when needed.

Preventative measures are also taken to reduce the number of road related injuries and deaths. The Insight will transport organisation counsellors to off-site counselling centres in Niddrie and Dandenong as well as enabling staff to provide face to face support to over 80 volunteers in eighteen locations Victoria-wide. These volunteers work to provide over one hundred Road Trauma Awareness Seminars each year. Directed primarily at court-ordered road offenders, the program examines driver attitudes and behaviours, and seeks to reduce the incidence of crashes.

The economic and environmental benefits of driving a Hybrid will further reduce motoring expenses that could be put to better use. A safer means of transport is now available to staff and reduced expenses enable more funds to be channelled to support grief and trauma affected Victorians.

Road Trauma Support Services Victoria have extended a huge thanks to The Honda Foundation for providing a car, which CEO Paul Ashton boasts “...is packed full of awesome features, but most importantly it comprises excellent safety features and comes with a five star ANCAP rating.”

The Honda Foundation aims to provide assistance to local communities and foster goodwill among Honda Australia, Honda Motor Vehicle Dealers and the public. It draws funding from Honda Dealers and Honda Australia who donate $15 ($5 and $10 respectively) for every Honda car sold.