'I was sick of friends dying': The importance of training safer drivers on regional roads

The co-owner of Bay Beginners Driving School has lost friends on the roads and experienced the impact a road fatality can have on a small community.

That's why Mr Burgess is committed to teaching young drivers how to drive safely and minimise the amount of death on our roads.

"It's about passing on safe driving practices to everyone," he said. "I was sick of friends of mine dying on the road, so if we can stop these things before they happen, we're doing our job.

"Our driver education is about saving lives and giving everyone the skills to keep themselves and their families safe."

Mr Burgess has been a teacher at Bay Beginners since 2019, and has owned the business since 2020.

"I've been a skateboarding instructor since I was 19, and I got an ad from an employment agency asking for instructors in 2018," he said.

"I underwent my training, started in 2019, and I ended up buying the business with a business partner in 2020.

"It was a tough time to buy a business with the bushfires and the lockdowns, but we held ourselves together and pushed through."

Mr Burgess said driving instruction was particularly important in regional areas due to longer driving distances, higher average speeds, and roads that may not be to city standards.

"Any time you have higher speeds there are more risks," he said.

"If you get it wrong on a highway, it can be devastating - the majority of fatalities I've seen down here have been on highways, particularly people turning onto the Princes.

"If everyone had really good observational skills and solid driving training, that would dramatically reduce the amount of fatalities."

Mr Burgess said a lot of drivers have been taught by their parents, or had learned to drive on a farm or private property, and wouldn't necessarily have practical experience with what to do in a potentially dangerous situation.

Driving lessons and safe-driving courses would equip people with the skills needed to navigate tricky situations.

"If you have the right training and mindset, and a low-risk driving style, you should get around unscathed," Mr Burgess said.

"I've never once had a car crash, but I've had lots of close calls, and I'll adapt the way I drive every time that happens.

"I pass on that information, but also listen to other people's experiences on the road and learn from that.

"You sometimes have to assume that everyone on the road is out to get out. If you're always ready for the unexpected and well prepared, you'll be safe."

That "low-risk driving style" includes good observational skills, a safe following distance, and speed maintenance.

"The majority of fatalities are from people not looking properly or not paying attention," Mr Burgess said.

"I'm always looking for ways to better my driving - it's a mistake to ever assume you've learned everything on the road."

Bay Beginners provides a safer-driver course on top of its driving lessons aimed at drivers of any age. They also provide 'mock tests' for young drivers, and lessons over the Clyde Mountain.

The business services an area from Ulladulla in the north, Narooma in the south, and Braidwood in the west.

Other driving courses in the Shire include RYDA, Y Drive, and TeenSafe.

Mr Burgess said his oldest stepson had take all available courses which gave him "peace of mind" his son would be safe on the road.