Risky choices can lead to permanent consequences was the message students across the Hastings heard as part of a Wheelchair Sports NSW workshop.
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Brendon Talbott, director of Wheelchair Sports NSW, is visiting schools in the area from June 17-21 talking to primary school and high school students about life in a wheelchair.
The workshops have come to the region before and are part of a Transport NSW push to engage young people before they do something dangerous.
"Today I am talking to the students about road safety and about the consequences of taking risks on the road as both a driver and passenger," Mr Talbott said.
"Having been in a wheelchair since birth I am very different to about 80 percent of the people I talk to who are in a wheelchair. Most people I meet are in a chair due to a road accident or fall and a lot of the time those accidents could have been avoided.
"I talk to the students about some of the risks they can encounter on the road from drink driving to using your phone while driving to fatigue and other distractions."
Despite some of the obvious hardships living in a wheelchair brings, Mr Talbott said he also showed the students some of the fun he gets up to while confined to the chair.
"For me life in the chair is all I have ever known and it allows me to go about my everyday life," he said.
"I love sport and being able to play sport in a wheelchair has taken me all around the world playing tennis but the workshops show students just how hard life can be.
"I also talked about getting around in a wheelchair and some of the challenges I face from needing a new chair, to renovating my house to suit me to potentially losing friends."
Meaghan Cook, Hastings Secondary College Port Macquarie Campus principal said the school had a proud partnership with Wheelchair Sports NSW.
"Hastings Secondary College has had a long-standing partnership with Wheelchair Sports NSW," Ms Cook said.
"The partnership provides students with a chance to experience something new, as well as providing students with an idea of what it is like to be in a wheelchair.
"These Road safety education seminars which talk about the consequences of taking risks on the road is essential, particularly when many Year 10 students are about to attain their learner license permits."
Year 10 students Ritchie Whitehouse and Bridget Flint said listening to Mr Talbott was eye-opening.
"Playing wheelchair basketball was really fun but it was surprising that it was so hard," Ritchie said.
"I love running around playing sport and to think one bad decision could change that would be really hard.
"It does make you think twice about taking unnecessary risks."
Having just got her Ls, Bridget said it was a timely reminder.
"Getting your Ls is a big step for a young person but after today I am definitely going to think twice when I get in the car."
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