Building community networks: a road trauma education and training program for rural areas

The work of the Road Trauma Support Team highlights the ongoing impact of road trauma on rural communities. Small population size and close social networks mean that road trauma can have a negative effect on social relations across the whole community. Much of the 'flow-on' effect of road trauma, in the form of community distress, can be alleviated by increased skills, information about responding to road trauma, and the establishment of supportive community networks. This paper reports on the implementation and evaluation of a project that addressed knowledge, skills and awareness of road trauma in rural communities. Funded by the Rural Health Support Education and Training (RHSET) program and conducted by the Road Trauma Support Team, the project focused on the impact of traumatic events in small communities and strategies to maximise effective participation of community members and health workers in response to trauma. Piloted in six rural communities in northern Tasmania, the project has developed an educational resource package.