General News
2 April, 2026
Stay ALERT and stay safe
THE Moon family of Warrnambool know only too well the heartache that comes when a child dies as the result of a road accident.
Greg and Jo Moon’s son Joel was a backseat passenger in a vehicle involved in a single car accident in 2021. He was just 16.
That day will be forever etched in their memories and one that will never be forgotten.
Joel’s death not only had a profound effect on the lives of his family, but also on his classmates and others in the community whose lives he touched.
The teen’s life was cut short by tragedy and his family is now focussed on doing all they can to help lower the road toll and, in turn, hopefully save other families from having to endure a similar path.
“No-one ever gets over the death of a child and we want to do everything we can to ensure others don’t have to go through similar.
“We’re determined to ensure everyone in our community has access to the tools needed to help them become better drivers, to know how to maintain their vehicles and to stay safe on our roads.
“Our kids get their L plates at 16 and get behind the wheel. Do they know defensive driving skills? Are they able to change a tyre, check the oil or even know where to put water in their wipers?”
These thoughts were long pondered by the couple and after much research, and with help from a variety of sources, they have developed a three-day ALERT Warrnambool program.
Designed for drivers of all ages, from learners through to seniors, the program has everything from defensive driving techniques and car maintenance through to sessions on the correct installation of child car seats.
The program isn’t just for learner drivers and other young, inexperienced drivers, it is for everyone – those who’ve been behind the wheel for a few years to our more senior residents who may wish to refresh their knowledge of current road rules or learn more about vehicle maintenance and safety.
“The program will have something for everyone; for all ages and driving experience,” Jo said.
“We want to do all we can to help improve our road statistics, to lower the road toll and to ensure everyone across the district has access to programs such as valuable defensive driving courses.”
The inaugural ALERT Warrnambool program will run from May 21-23 to coincide with that month’s National Road Safety Week.
The program will include a ‘Keeping Your Confidence’ session on Friday, May 22 at the Archie Graham Centre.
This free one-hour event will provide practical tips for staying safe and confident on the road, and will cover important road rules and recent changes as well as how to plan ahead for licence renewals and other topics.
Free, basic car maintenance workshops will also be held on Friday, May 22.
The team at South West TAFE will run one hour sessions throughout the day teaching basic car maintenance.
A highlight of this year’s program will no doubt be the defensive driving course, ran by the team from Murcotts.
With so many valuable sessions planned, this year’s ALERT Warrnambool program is one not to be missed.
