TWO years after his 18-year old daughter, Carmen, died in a single-car crash, it was another crash that took the lives of four young men that prompted John Maher to first share his family’s story with others.

Since 1997, John has told the heartbreaking story of his daughter’s crash – on November 18, 1995, Carmen died instantly when she fell asleep at the wheel and crashed into a tree, just five kilometres from the family home.

In the 24 years since John launched Carmen’s Road Safety, he has spoken to over 450,000 students, addressing around 60 to 70 schools each year.

Carmen’s Road Safety is not strictly for young road users, and John said he also presents these sessions to corporate businesses who are more focused on statistics, which school students are often bored by or struggle to connect to.

It is the Australian attitude of ‘it won’t happen to me’, that John believes has caused so many crashes, with people taking unnecessary risks.

“There’s been such a change in the message that I bring to schools and corporate Australia,” he said.

“It used to just be speeding, and using the phone, now drugs play such a significant role in deaths on our roads - it has been proven that those taking ecstasy or ice are more than 20 times more likely to have a crash.

“Out of the 266 deaths on our roads last year, 30 were not wearing seat belts … we’re getting more and more people driving without a licence, driving unregistered vehicles, unroadworthy vehicles- the trouble is they always hurt someone else when they do these things.

“We simply can’t take any risks on our road.”

Earlier this month, John launched his book, Carmen’s Legacy, in an effort to continue his daughter’s legacy for years to come and reach as many people as possible.

John said writing his family’s story down was extremely challenging as he relived the devasting reality that he hopes no other family ever has to go through.

He said without his wife, Ange, and daughters, Michelle, Katrina, and Jasmine, he would never have been able to put pen to paper.

“I am immensely proud that Michelle, Katrina, and Jasmine contributed a chapter each, and they are powerful chapters,” he said.

“It’s a really powerful book, it has to move people to be better human beings and to understand what they’re capable of.

“I know that Carmen’s Legacy will live on long after I’m gone (and) I’m hoping to get this into the curriculum at Year 10 level because they are the future road users.

“I want the education system to accept responsibility for accepting our children and educate them to get beyond Year 12.”

In a wonderful show of community support, the Coleraine Community Bank has paid to bring Carmen’s Road Safety to local schools and sporting clubs this month.

From next week, John will make his way around the district, sharing his story with the next generation of road users.

John will speak at the Coleraine Football Netball Club on Tuesday, May 17 from 6.30pm, at the Harrow Balmoral Football Netball Club on May 31 from 6.30pm, and at the Casterton-Sandford Football Netball Club, with a tentative slot for May 30 at 6.30pm.

John said he hopes to get as many young people and parents to the clubs to learn more about the responsibility involved with being on the road.

John will also present to local schools, including Good Shepherd College, Casterton Secondary College, Baimbridge College, and Balmoral College.

He also has a longstanding relationship with Monivae College, who have hosted a presentation every second year for the last 16 years.

For more information on Carmen’s Road Safety, please contact Coleraine Community Bank board director, Janelle Tooley on 0418 821 243.