Kaitiaki o Ara/SADD Newsletter November/December 2025

November/December Edition

Kia ora SADD whānau,

December marks an exciting and important time for our youth community as they wrap up the school year and head into summer. With longer days and more social events on the horizon, it’s the perfect moment to reflect on how we can all make safe choices — for ourselves, our friends, and our communities.

We know this is a time when young people are out and about: enjoying freedom, celebrating milestones, and planning holidays. It’s also a time when risky driving behaviours can creep in. SADD is encouraging everyone to look out for one another and make smart, safe choices behind the wheel and as passengers.

Across Aotearoa, students have been stepping up as leaders and changemakers, sparking important conversations about risky driving and creating safer journeys for everyone. Check out our 2025 Highlights Report — we’re celebrating the incredible mahi our rangatahi have led this year.

In this issue, we introduce new resources to help you start next year strong. We’re sharing inspiring student-led initiatives, showcasing our new activity based on crash survivor Bridie Young’s powerful story, and launching our Summer Campaign.

Together, let’s keep the momentum going — every conversation, every action, and every safe choice counts.

Let’s keep the kōrero going — safer roads start with us.

Monthly Theme: Fatigue

Whether you’re a young driver heading to school or sport, or an adult tackling long workdays and family life, fatigue can hit anyone behind the wheel. Being tired isn’t just uncomfortable — it slows your reaction time, affects your focus, and increases your risk of making dangerous mistakes on the road.

What causes fatigue?
Late nights, early starts, long drives, shift work, stress, and even dehydration can all add up. For young people, busy schedules, school pressures, and social activities often mean fewer hours of quality sleep. For adults, juggling responsibilities can lead to the same problem.

How to stay safe:

Plan ahead: Make sure you’re well-rested before driving.
Take breaks: Stop for a breather every 1–2 hours on long trips.
Share the drive: If possible, swap drivers or travel with someone who can help you stay alert.
Know the signs: Yawning, heavy eyelids, drifting in your lane, or losing track of time mean it’s time to stop.
Avoid driving late at night: Your body is naturally more tired between midnight and early morning.

Fatigue doesn’t discriminate — it affects all of us. By recognising the signs early and making smart choices, we can keep ourselves, our friends, our whānau, and our communities safer on the road.

Stay sharp. Stay safe. You’ve got people who want you to get home.

Delivery Team Spotlight!

Across the motu, SADD groups have been wrapping up the year with meaningful activities and celebrations. In South Canterbury, students, schools, and community partners came together for an end-of-year event acknowledging the mahi and momentum built throughout 2025.

The morning included a shared breakfast, an awards presentation led by Road Safety Coordinator Lucy Mehrtens, and recognition from key partners such as Police, Fire & Emergency NZ, WAVE, and Hilton Haulage. Timaru Mayor Nigel Bowen also attended to present awards and show his continued support for SADD students.

Students then visited the Timaru Fire Station for a powerful demonstration, where firefighters showcased how they safely dismantle a crashed vehicle during an emergency response. The experience provided a strong reminder of the importance of making safe choices on the road.

After the celebration, Delivery Lead Lauren travelled to Oamaru to support our 2025 Regional Leader, Lily Havler-Martin, as she delivered her first primary school road safety session. This workshop launched the resource she has developed this year, and her engaging, well-pitched delivery highlighted her passion and preparation.

As the school year draws to a close, SADD groups across Aotearoa have been winding down to focus on exams. Even so, many have been passing the torch to new leaders and laying the groundwork for 2026—with some already securing their spots in our Term 1 workshops.

Summer’s here, and the roads are buzzing with energy. Whether you’re heading off on a road trip, meeting mates at the beach, or just cruising through the long, warm evenings — we want every journey to carry good vibes and safe choices.

It’s a great time to get behind SADD’s annual summer campaign! We’re inviting students and partners to help drive the message by sharing their top tips for safe driving, smart travel, and looking out for each other on the road. We’ll be posting simple, eye-catching visuals and video messages on social media throughout the season to keep the good times rolling - without compromising on safety.

Want to get involved? Visit our Summer Campaign webpage to grab ready-to-use resources plus all the helpful tips for how you can contribute to the campaign and start spreading the vibe.

Let’s make this summer all about great memories, safe rides and the positive energy we share. Vibe your ride — and make it count!

Click here to get involved with the Summer Campaign!

“Every choice you make behind the wheel shapes your future. Choose wisely.”

Bridie was kind, funny, and full of life - a daughter, a friend, and someone who always showed up for others. One night, she went out for a fun night with her mates, not thinking of the consequences, just having fun. Then in a moment, everything changed forever!

This isn’t a story about blame; it’s about the power of one voice. Because sometimes, speaking up can make all the difference.

This resource is about learning from real experiences to help you make safer choices on the road. Bridie’s story is a powerful reminder of how one moment can change everything, and how speaking up, making a call, or choosing not to ride can protect you from lifelong consequences.

Through her story, and the tools shared here, you’ll learn how to recognise unsafe situations, find the right words to speak up, and support your friends to make better decisions on the road.

Bridie’s story is tough to watch — but it’s also a chance to learn.

Think about what you’d do if you were faced with an unsafe situation. Could you speak up? What would you say?

Check out the info and activities below to learn more about why these moments matter, and how you can back yourself and your friends to make safer choices.

Click here to watch Bridie’s story

Our 2025 Highlights Report is now live! It captures the key moments, student achievements, campaigns, and impact we've created together this year. Take a look at the projects, events, and stories that shaped our mahi and celebrate the incredible work of our SADD community.

Read the full report here

Get excited — our 2026 SADD Conferences are coming your way!

📍 Dunedin
7–9 April 2026

📍 Cambridge
14–16 April 2026

Mark your calendars and keep an eye out for more details, registration info, and what to expect from these epic events!

We can’t wait to see you there!

Check out the events page on the SADD website for all the key dates for 2026! Our Delivery Team are working hard to secure Term 1 workshop dates, so keep an eye on this page as more dates and locations will be added every week.

Check out upcoming events!

It’s the end of another awesome year! A big thanks to the following people for their generosity and for choosing to donate to SADD. These contributions are an investment in student resources and opportunities coming up in 2026!

LG, FF, LG & MK from Auckland, SM from Feilding, KC & SS from Lower Hutt, SH, QW & TB from Wellington, JH from Nelson, AD from Canterbury and TT & LG from Australia.

We wish you safe travels (especially this time of year)!

Noho ora mai rā

Donate

Kerry Campbell (Upper North Island) email or call 022 319 6101
Melanie Wallace (Central North Island) email or call 027 239 6610
Bobbi Hutchinson (Lower North Island) email or call 021 761 649
Mark McCallum-Unwin (Christchurch Area) email or call 027 451 1253
Lauren Robinson (South Island) email or call 021 624 198