Westmead Hospital’s bstreetsmart road safety program will expand across Australia, with a new school-based education initiative set to bring its road safety messages directly into classrooms nationwide.
The expansion introduces Let’s Talk, a school incursion program that will build on the bstreetsmart live event, which has been delivered to NSW students since 2004. Organisers say the classroom program is designed to reach schools that attend the live event as well as those unable to travel to Sydney.
The announcement comes as road safety remains a major concern in NSW. More than 350 people died on the state’s roads in 2025, with young people aged 17 to 25 accounting for 9.6 per cent of those deaths.
bstreetsmart is known for its simulated crash scenarios and personal accounts from emergency service workers, trauma specialists and people affected by road trauma. The program aims to encourage safer decision-making among young drivers and passengers.
The new Let’s Talk initiative will be delivered in two formats. Students attending the live event will take part in follow-up classroom sessions that reinforce the road safety messages presented during the event. Schools that do not attend the live program will be able to access a standalone version focused on risk, consequences, decision-making and behaviour change.
This year’s bstreetsmart event, which is being held from 11 to 13 August at AfterPay Stadium in Sydney Olympic Park, has already sold out. More than 10,000 students a day from years 10 to 12 are expected to attend, representing more than 250 schools across NSW.
The event allows students to observe the aftermath of a simulated road crash and explore the responsibilities associated with driving and being a passenger.
bstreetsmart was founded in 2004 by Westmead Hospital trauma nurses Julie Seggie and Stephanie Wilson. It began with 464 students from 10 schools and has since reached more than 291,000 high school students over the past 22 years.
Transport for NSW has supported the program since 2015 and is contributing $315,000 to this year’s event.
Health Minister Ryan Park said the expansion would allow the program to reach more young people across the country.
“I am incredibly proud to see a program created in Western Sydney now a national leader in educating our youth on road safety,” he said.
Road safety advocates have long argued that education programs can complement enforcement and infrastructure measures, particularly for young drivers who face a higher risk of crashes during their early years of driving.
NSW Ambulance Interim Chief Executive Clare Beech said paramedics regularly witnessed the impact of road trauma on young people and their families.
“Giving young people the knowledge to make safer decisions today can help prevent serious injuries and save lives tomorrow,” she said.
More information about the program is available at the bstreetsmart website.
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