Driving Change: Road Safety Education for International Students

September 2025

At the Fit to Drive Foundation, our mission has always been clear: to equip young people with the knowledge, confidence, and mindset to make safe choices on the road. For over two decades, we’ve worked alongside schools, communities, and emergency services to reduce road trauma and foster a culture of safety and empowered drivers across Victoria.

Now, we’re proud to extend that commitment to a new and vital audience – international students.

In partnership with RMIT University, Victoria Police, and Medibank, we recently delivered a pilot Road Safety Education Program tailored specifically for international students.

Seventy participants from over 20 countries, including India, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Qatar, and the Philippines, joined us for five interactive workshops designed to demystify Victoria’s transport systems and empower students to navigate them safely.

From decoding road signs and understanding licensing requirements to mastering tram etiquette and pedestrian awareness, each session was packed with practical tips and insights. We also explored emerging safety topics such as e-bike and scooter battery charging, and guided students through real-world scenarios like responding to road incidents.

Students engaged directly with Victoria Police, gaining firsthand understanding of the laws and the reasons behind them reinforcing our shared goal of reducing injury and trauma on the roads.

Fit to Drive Foundation CEO Brad Crofts highlighted the importance of this initiative, noting that while the Foundation has long worked with schools and community groups, “we identified a real gap in reaching international students.” He added, “Partnering with Medibank and RMIT University ensures international students gain the critical learning needed to stay safe on our roads. Together, we’re building safer habits and stronger communities.”

This initiative reflects Fit to Drive’s broader purpose: to meet young people where they are, and provide education that’s relevant, inclusive, and impactful. International students face unique challenges when adapting to life in Victoria, and road safety is a critical part of that transition. By embedding this program into the student experience, we’re helping students feel safer, more confident, and more connected to their community.

Feedback from the pilot was overwhelmingly positive. Every participant said they’d recommend the program to fellow students and reported feeling more informed and supported.

RMIT second-year PhD candidate Muhammad Wahyu Nugraha, from Singapore, shared: “The sessions were designed in a relaxed setting for international students, and the presenters were directly from the police department, which provided valuable insights on road safety. I really appreciate that international students are given equal opportunities to learn and be part of the broader community.”

As a gesture of encouragement, one student was awarded a brand-new dual sport bicycle from Trek Melbourne for her enthusiastic participation, reinforcing the program’s focus on active, safe mobility.

Brad Crofts also emphasised that the pilot program is just the beginning: “We’re very excited to expand the program to more university students. It’s a natural extension of our Fit to Drive commitment to inclusive, preventative education, and a powerful way to build safer roads for everyone.”

We look forward to continuing partnership and bringing road safety education to even more international students across Victoria to empower students to make safer, smarter choices on the road.

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Fit To Drive Foundation was launched in 2002 after 7 young people lost their lives in an 18-month period in Frankston and the Mornington Peninsula. Community members including principals, teachers, parents and students banded together as they recognised the urgent need for a new approach to road safety education. What followed was the introduction of our first program, the F2D Year 11 Workshop.

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