“You’re a good driver, but you have to assume everyone else on the road is an idiot!”
Sound familiar? It’s a classic from the parental playbook — usually delivered during those nerve-wracking early driving lessons. But is it actually helpful?
We think there’s a better way to frame it. Most people on the road aren’t reckless — they’re often just reacting to challenges other road users may not see. Different road users face different challenges, and those challenges shape the way they interact with others.
Here’s another parental favourite: “Drivers are unpredictable — be ready for anything.”
True… to a point. Yes, you should stay alert and ready to respond, but many drivers aren’t as unpredictable as they may seem – once we understand their perspective.
🧠 Drive SOS: Building Empathy Behind the Wheel
Through our Ryda Drive SOS topic, students learn to share the road safely — not just with other cars, but with pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, buses and heavy trucks. The goal? To empower socially conscious, forward-thinking, safe road users.
At the workshop, we use interactive video content, hands-on experiments and group discussions to guide students as they explore the unique challenges others face on the road. Because, when they can see the road through someone else’s eyes, they can better anticipate behavior and make safer, smarter decisions before things escalate.
🚛 The heavy vehicle challenge
Let’s talk trucks and buses.
They need more room to turn, longer distances to stop, and have massive blind spots. If something happens ahead, they need space — a clear “escape path” — to react safely.
While most drivers know this in theory, these are still the most common causes of crashes involving heavy vehicles. And here’s a sobering stat: in around 80% of fatal multi-vehicle crashes involving trucks, the truck driver is not at fault (1).
That means other drivers aren’t factoring in the limitations of heavy vehicles — with tragic consequences. Around 60% of people killed in truck crashes are occupants of light vehicles. Another 20% are vulnerable road users like pedestrians, cyclists, or motorcyclists (1).
The takeaway? Understanding others on the road isn’t just thoughtful — it’s life-saving.
🚛 The Ryda perspective: big trucks, big lessons
Thanks to our valued partner Boral, some Ryda students have had the chance to experience truck safety firsthand.
During events like National Road Safety Week, Boral trucks are brought on-site. Building on the classroom session with a full-scale tactile experience, students used their morning tea and lunch breaks to climb into the cabin and view the road in a whole different light.
These visits have been such a hit that we developed a special format to make the most of this immersive opportunity: half in-classroom, half truck-side. The truck is decked out with educational posters, and students rotate through learning stations around the vehicle, solving real-world safety challenges in small groups.
We’re hugely grateful to Boral, who go above and beyond — even pulling trucks off jobs — to help us create these unforgettable learning moments. While the truck visits remain occasional due to logistics, whether delivered entirely in the classroom or supercharged with a truck visit, the Drive SOS session delivers on its goal every time: building socially responsible, confident drivers who understand the road isn’t theirs alone — and who are ready to share it safely.
🗣️ What Students Are Saying:
“Before coming to RYDA I had 103 hours in my logbook, attended the Safer Drivers course and did a couple of driving lessons, one of them being the Keys2Drive lesson. I thought I was a competent driver, ready to be driving on my own, but the Drive S.O.S session showed me how much I still needed to learn, for example, the video about what it’s like to be a truck driver really opened my eyes to how inexperienced I still am. It also tied well into the overall message of the session: that I need to be thinking for other people, anticipating that they might do something. I will certainly be me cautious next time I drive and pay close attention to what other people on or along the road may be doing.” Matthew, Central Coast, NSW (classroom session)
“It was really interesting about the blind spots. And I loved the interactive of getting into the truck. I learnt a lot from it and know to be mindful of it when driving.” Imogen, Bundaberg, QLD (truck on site)
“I’m a cyclist and it was so nice to see students being taught about giving us room and them understanding why we need lots of room, also learning about how a big truck actually cant see a lot and we as drivers need to curtous and really share the road and look out for big trucks to give them space when needed.” Sian, Christchurch, NZ (classroom session)
“I really enjoyed the S.O.S. workshop because it allowed me to see the perspective of the other drivers. The blind points of the truck really shocked me as I didn’t know what it was like from the perspective of a truck driver. Also the POV driving video was interesting and made me become more aware of how complex driving is.” Yizuan, Auckland, NZ (classroom session)
“It showed me and understood how much blind spots truckists have and why there are so many accidents in rural areas like Bathurst where there are heaps of trucks. It made me to be more aware of trucks and to give them space.” Tiarni, Bathurst, NSW (classroom session)
“It was interesting to learn how peripheral vision is important when driving. The video that was shown at the start of the session taught me to be wary and considerate of other road users such as cyclists. Learning about blind spots of trucks was especially memorable and also surprising as I never knew that trucks had so many blind spots. Although the other session were also valueable, I found this session to have provided the most valueable information because it taught me to drive in a manner that protects others and not just myself. It taught me how to predict what other road users were going to do and adapt my driving according to that to ensure my safety and the safety of other road users.” Melanie, Mt Gravatt, QLD (classroom session)
“When you jump up in the truck and actually first hand see the visibility they have in there. Everyone says it but I never thought it was a bad as it was, and I’m very glad I got to actually see first hand what and how much they can see.” Jett, Maryborough, QLD (truck on-site)
