Welcome to our July newsletter!

We hope you've had a chance to recharge over the school holidays and are feeling ready for an exciting Term 3. As we head into the second half of the year, there's plenty happening across the SADD network, with new opportunities to get involved, take action, and make a positive impact in your school and community.

This term also marks the return of our Show Up campaign, encouraging students to step up, support their mates, and take action to create safer communities. While winter roads can still bring extra challenges, the warmer spring days are just around the corner, making it the perfect time to refocus on making safe choices and looking out for one another. Every conversation, activity, and positive action helps build a stronger culture of road safety.

In this edition, we're sharing an insightful video from AA on what really makes a good driver, hearing from our National Leaders as they reflect on their recent hui, celebrating our June Impact Award winners, and introducing the newest members of Te Rōpū Māori Advisory.

As always, thank you for being part of our community and for the role you play in empowering young people to make safer choices. We hope this month's stories inspire you to get involved, support others, and keep making a difference throughout Term 3.

Ngā mihi,

Vic Domigan - Operations Manager

Confidence isn't the same as competence

Most of us like to think we're good drivers. But confidence behind the wheel doesn't always mean we're driving safely.

A recent video from the New Zealand Automobile Association (the AA) explores the difference between confidence and competence, reminding us that while confidence often grows with experience, competence comes from making safe decisions every time we drive.

The video highlights a few simple habits that can make a big difference:

• Leave yourself time and space. Rushed decisions are often poor decisions. Planning ahead and giving yourself more following distance can help you react safely to the unexpected.

• Minimise distractions. A quick glance at your phone, changing the music, or chatting with passengers can take your attention away when you need it most.

• Know your limits. Just because you have your licence doesn't mean you're experienced in every situation. Night driving, poor weather, unfamiliar roads, and carrying passengers all require different skills and confidence levels.

• Keep learning. Good drivers don't assume they know it all. They continue to reflect on their habits and look for ways to improve.

Whether you're a new driver, an experienced commuter, a teacher, a parent, or someone who simply spends time on New Zealand's roads, it's a timely reminder that being a safer driver is about more than just technical ability. It's about recognising our own limitations and making choices that reduce risk for ourselves and everyone around us.

Take a few minutes to watch the AA's video and ask yourself: Are my decisions driven by confidence, or by competence?

Learn more from the AA Driving School

Delivery Team Spotlight!

Term 3 is the perfect time for students to make their mark! With exams just around the corner, it's one of the last opportunities this year to get SADD groups active before everyone gets busy. Whether it's running a lunchtime activity, starting a conversation about road safety, sharing a social media post, or organising a larger event, every action helps create safer roads for young people.

To help make it happen, the SADD Delivery Team is ready to support students with workshops, school visits, activity ideas, planning sessions, resources, and online support throughout the term. No idea is too big or too small—we're here to help every step of the way.

This term is also all about "passing the torch." As many current group leaders prepare to leave school, now is the perfect time to encourage younger students to get involved and take on leadership roles for 2027. By mentoring the next generation of SADD leaders now, groups can keep their momentum going and continue making a positive impact for years to come.

Check out last year’s passing the torch blog for helpful tips and tricks!

Our Show Up campaign is back for its second year, encouraging young people across Aotearoa to look out for their mates and make safer choices on and around our roads.

Show Up is built around a simple idea: showing up for your friends means helping them make safe choices. That could be offering to be the sober driver, speaking up if someone is about to drive distracted or impaired, reminding a mate to buckle up, or simply checking everyone gets home safely.

Throughout the term, schools can get involved with free campaign resources, activity ideas and social media content designed to help start conversations and encourage positive action. Whether it's a lunchtime activation, a classroom discussion or an online campaign, every action helps create a culture where looking out for each other is the norm.

We'd love to see how your school gets involved. Tag @‌SADDNZ or send us your photos and stories so we can share and celebrate the impact you're making.

Our National Leaders recently came together in Wellington for their final in-person hui before completing the programme. From reconnecting with one another and welcoming our new Year 12 leaders to networking with community partners and presenting their projects, it was three days packed with learning, leadership and plenty of memorable moments. Read more about the hui on the blog and hear directly from our National Leaders about what made the experience so special.

Nau mai and welcome to The Māori Advisory Rōpū!

We’re excited to introduce two of our newest MAR members who are all about leadership and creating positive change in their communities.

Taurima Schultz (left)
Year 9 — St Kevins
Iwi: Ngāti Kahungunu & Tūhoe

Taurima got involved with MAR to strengthen his Māori knowledge and grow as a leader. He’s most looking forward to becoming fluent in te reo Māori and continuing to develop his leadership skills.

Ihaia Wainohu (right)
Year 13 — Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o te Wananga Whare Tapere o Takitimu
Iwi: Ngāti Kahungunu

Ihaia joined MAR because of his commitment to making his voice heard, giving back to the community, and building strong, meaningful relationships with others. He’s looking forward to creating positive change and achieving goals alongside the rest of the team.

We’re stoked to have you both on board and can’t wait to see what you bring to the rōpū.

We're excited to announce the very first recipients of a SADD Impact Awards Monthly Award – Zinnea Cohen and Lexi Thomson Hall from Hurunui College.

Together, Zinnea and Lexi have demonstrated outstanding leadership through their work with the Hurunui Youth Council and as founders of the Hurunui College SADD group. From successfully advocating for safer speed limits in Amberley to delivering road safety education to their peers, they've shown how young people can create meaningful change in their schools and communities.

A huge thank you to everyone who submitted nominations this month. We were blown away by the quality of the entries and the incredible work happening across Aotearoa to promote safer roads.

Nominations are now open for our July Monthly Award, and we'd love to hear about the students and groups making a difference in your community. Whether they're leading a road safety campaign, delivering peer education, advocating for change, or inspiring others to make safer choices, we want to celebrate their impact.

Submit your nomination today and help us recognise the young people creating safer communities, one action at a time.

Check out our events page of our website for all the key dates to pop in your 2026 calendars! This term we have our Show Up campaign, Term 3 workshops and more on offer, so keep an eye on this page as more dates and locations will be added every week.

Once again, we are grateful to everyone who chose to support our youth road safety mission this past month. It means so much to know our work resonates with you!

A huge thank you to our recent donors:

AS & MB from Auckland, DM from Taranaki, JH from Te Kuiti, MC from Wairarapa, SG & YJ from Nelson, SM from Waiau, TP from Rangiora, LC & JB from Christchurch, OH from Otago, BS & KP from Dunedin

Ngā mihi to you all!