When Dunedin Hospital emergency department nurse Rosie Simpson speaks next week about the physical toll a car crash inflicts on a young human body, more than 1500 young drivers from around Otago will be listening.
She will be addressing the 2009 Drive to Survive Expo at the Edgar Centre in Dunedin from March 31 to April 2, which this year is expected to attract a record number of year 11 pupils from schools around Dunedin and South Otago.
So far, 1513 pupils have confirmed they will attend the event, up from last year's figure - also a record - of 652 pupils.
Dunedin City Council community adviser road safety (youth and schools) Bridget Smaill said scheduling changes and a revamped format, and the success of last year's event, had all contributed to the record numbers confirmed for this year's expo.
The annual expo was previously restricted to small groups of 25 year 11 pupils from each school, but last year was open to all year 11 pupils, she said.
This year's expo would again centre on a series of workshops during three days, aimed at educating young drivers about the dangers of illegally modified vehicles, the physics of a car crash and the human toll inflicted on drivers, their passengers and families.
The expo would include a demonstration of a crash response by emergency services, and a mock funeral conducted by Hope and Sons funeral staff.
The event was aimed at year 11 pupils who, typically aged 15, were moving into the world of driving for the first time, she said.
The workshops did not aim to frighten young drivers, but "it just makes it very real to the students", she said.
Vehicle crashes were the leading cause of unintentional death and injury for young people, with 33 people aged 15-24 killed on Otago roads in the past five years, she said.
Nationally, in the 12 months to April 17 last year, 129 young people aged 15-24 were killed on the roads.
