- $63.6 million Cook Labor Government commitment to shape positive road safety attitudes in young students for long-term behavioral and cultural change
- Additional funding expands the highly successful year 7s and 8s Road Smart school program with new Road Smart Interactive program for year 9 students
- About 500 incursion sessions, expecting to reach almost 14,000 students, have already been booked in 2026, with bookings still available
- Funding delivered from the Road Trauma Trust Account
The Cook Labor Government is shaping the behaviours and attitudes of the next generation of drivers and road users with the launch of a new road safety education program for year 9 students.
Road Smart Interactive builds on the success of the Road Safety Commission's Road Smart Kickstart year 7 and 8 incursion program - an immersive tech-driven program using hands-on digital learning stations covering the dangers of speed, distractions, fatigue, peer pressure and protective gear.
Road Smart Interactive extends this learning for older students through scenariobased decisionmaking and more complex road safety challenges, utilising the latest in immersive virtual reality technology to engage students in their role to eliminate road trauma.
Thanks to a $15.2 million funding commitment in the December 2025-announced Road Safety Reform package, and a further $48.4 million funding boost announced in the 2026/27 State Budget, this funding will ensure life-saving road safety education is delivered to every year 7 to 9 student in Western Australia over the next four years.
So far in 2026, the Road Safety Commission is on track to complete about 500 incursion sessions reaching almost 14,000 students across the State, with booking spots still available.
Objectives include:
- inspiring positive behaviours through immersive, evidence-based learning;
- increasing awareness and understanding of key road safety issues;
- reinforcing the role young people play in keeping themselves and others safe; and
- supporting teachers and school leaders to enhance road safety behaviours within their school communities.
In the past 12 months, educators travelled an incredible 23,260km delivering the program across the State.
The Road Smart Interactive program was developed by Victoria's Transport Accident Commission and has been modified and adapted to suit the local WA context.
In addition, grants of up to $5,000 are available exclusively to schools participating in a Road Smart incursion to support student-led behaviour change initiatives to make local communities safer.
Funding for the program is provided through the Road Trauma Trust Account, that sees 100 per cent of safety camera fines spent on projects that save lives and reduce trauma on WA roads.
Schools can book the Road Smart KickStart and Interactive incursions via the Road Safety Commission .
As stated by Road Safety Minister Reece Whitby:
"The Cook Labor Government is committed to building safe driving behaviour across the State and this interactive program is a significant element in ensuring young Western Australian students understand what's required to be safe on our roads.
"It's never too early to start learning about how to make good road safety decisions and how to put them into practice.
"We are investing in cultivating a new generation of future road users that have the skills, education and the right attitude to keep themselves and others on the roads safe.
"Strong feedback from participating schools about the success of Road Safety Commission's year 7 and 8s education program was the catalyst for expanding this program to year 9 students.
"New technology and virtual reality is helping us teach and shape safe driving to ensure every journey - no matter where or how far you're travelling - is a safe trip."
As stated by Education Minister Sabine Winton:
"Our schools play an important role in shaping safe behaviours and attitudes, and programs like this give students a hands-on opportunity to think about road safety and better understand the impact of the decisions they make every day.
"Road Smart interactive brings those lessons to life through engaging, real-world experiences that help students make safer choices for themselves and others to stay with them for the rest of their lives."
