“Don't be shy about it- just make noise!” is what SADD National Leader Abbygail Patterson has to say when it comes to road safety

Imagine boarding a flight by yourself for the very first time, buzzing with nerves, all to meet a group of strangers. Now imagine opening your local newspaper months later to see your own face staring back at you under the headline, "Thames Student Drives Road Safety Doco."

For Abbygail Patterson, a SADD National Leader, this is her life right now!

SADD Delivery Lead Mel recently sat down with Abby to chat about her journey with SADD, featuring in her local newspaper, and why she thinks young people need to stop playing it safe and start making some serious noise in the media about road safety.

When Abby applied for the SADD National Leadership Programme, she saw it as a great opportunity to make a positive impact on her peers and the people around her when it came to road safety. She wanted to be a voice for young people, advocate for them, and be a role model. Along the way, however, she realised and admitted that she wasn't sure at first whether youth driving culture could be changed. Her involvement with SADD has helped her grasp the true weight of the issue and empowered her to be part of creating that change.

Abby said, "Right now, the vibe out there is, 'Oh, just do it, you'll be fine.' With this mindset, people just end up risking their lives. I want to change that and impact people in a positive way."

Abby is really enjoying her journey as a National Leader. She says she has gained far more skills than she ever imagined through being part of the programme. She has also unlocked a level of independence she didn't see coming, including conquering airport travel on her own.

"For our national workshops, getting on a flight by yourself to go somewhere—that's kind of crazy! I had never done that before. It definitely has built up my confidence."

"I remember the very first time I was on a SADD Zoom call, I was so scared!" Abby laughs. "But now, I can just jump on an online call and answer questions, and it's super easy."

Abby (centre) with fellow National Leaders

NLP event in Christchurch, October 2026

So, how does a high school student end up featured in the local paper?

It literally started with Abby asking to use a classroom. While chatting with a teacher about using her room for a SADD meeting, Abby mentioned her role as a SADD National Leader. The teacher was so excited that she wanted to share it on the school page. Another student overheard the conversation, passed it on to the school's media staff, and before Abby knew it, an email landed in her inbox from a local newspaper publicist:

"Hey, I heard you're a SADD National Leader and you're making a documentary. Let's do a piece on it."

"I remember thinking, 'This is so exciting, something is finally happening!' It got me feeling super motivated," Abby says.

The community reaction? Massive.

"My family has been so supportive. I swear they bought like 100 copies of the newspaper! They've been posting about it everywhere," she jokes. "Random people in the community have come up and said they saw me in the paper. Even a local guy who runs learner licence courses reached out to offer information and help."

Abby's media spotlight is focused on her SADD National Leadership project: her upcoming documentary, One Split Second.

The documentary tackles the heavy issues young drivers face every day: fatigue, driving under the influence, and the peer pressure of carrying passengers on a restricted licence. It's about realising that a single careless choice can cost someone everything.

Right now, Abby says our culture around driving needs to change.

"It's not just about obeying the rules; we should be more caring and look after one another. When young people grasp these safety concepts, it sets a framework for how they're going to act when they're older. It becomes generational."

"I encourage young people to use every media opportunity to inspire real, lasting change. Driving is a deeply rooted cultural issue. It can't be changed overnight, but I truly believe that small actions have a lasting impact. You impact one person, and then that person impacts another. It becomes a little domino effect. Even if your action doesn't seem huge at the time, if you stand by your message and advocate for it, you can save a life.

"I just want young people to make noise. Don't be shy about it—just make noise!

"I wouldn't have had the opportunity to be in the paper if I hadn't just talked to that one teacher about borrowing her room. The more people you talk to, the more it sparks interest and spreads awareness."

If you still think you're just one person who can't shift the culture, Abby leaves us with one final golden piece of advice:

"If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping in a tent with a mosquito. Never think you're too small. One tiny step can change everything!"