MORE than 280 year 11 students of Frankston High School took part in a Fit To Drive workshop earlier this month, learning the finer points of driving.

They are among students at 18 Frankston and Mornington Peninsula schools benefiting from an education program that was piloted in the region in 2002, becoming a model for student driver education throughout Victoria.

It was developed with the assistance of RMIT University and VicRoads.

Some of the money to run the program comes from the annual Fit To Drive Arthurs Seat Challenge, which will be held on Sunday.

The challenge, a 6.7-kilometre run or walk up the peninsula's highest peak, was developed by Fit To Drive trustees, a group of school principals who banded together following a number of horrific teenage car crashes in which students from their schools were killed.

The Frankston High students took part in presentations about drink-driving, speeding, driving in different conditions, and drugs and fatigue. A highlight was watching car braking demonstrations.

Senior campus principal Helen Wilson said she was a huge supporter of the program. "It provides students with the knowledge to reduce risk-taking behaviour and look at all the options before making decisions involving travelling in cars as both a driver and passenger."

Fit To Drive's Geoff Petrie said young people were over-represented in all categories of crash statistics among all drivers and our region was over-represented even among all 17-20 year olds.

"We are encouraging all schools on the peninsula to enter a team to be eligible for a group prize."

The Fit To Drive Arthurs Seat Challenge is on Sunday. It starts at Rosebud pier at 8.30am, and after an aerobic warm-up provided by Core Health of Frankston, finishes at Seawinds Garden in Arthurs Seat State Park. Visit www.sandstormevents

.com.au or call 59866684. All entrants receive a free T-shirt.