It's a stressful, torrid time for any parent, when your first child gets a learner driver permit.

It's about to happen in our house. My son Andy is 16 and is studying to take the Victorian L-plate test. The prospect absolutely terrifies me!!

But Melbourne's Epworth Rehab Centre and senior police have trialled a radical idea to ram home road safety to new drivers.

Three teenagers, including my son, have visited the centre for what we hope may be a life changing meeting . They talked to two young road accident victims.

They watched their extensive rehab. They saw their scars laid bare, both emotional and physical.

Firstly they met Rachel McVea,w hose car was hit by another head on in February 2007. Her Dad died instantly. She suffered a broken leg, smashed knee, shattered elbow, ruptured spleen and a punctured lung.

Rachel's spent almost two years doing painful, frustratingly slow rehab.

At the moment, it's three hours a day, five days week. She's up to seven operations, with at least another three to go.

In frightenly honest, frank language, Rachel told the three 16 and 17-year-olds about what she remembered of the accident; of the horror when she realised her Dad had died; and of the days she simply could not get out of bed because of her despair at her own injuries.

They also met Dante Rosati, a 22 year old motorcyclist whose bike slid across a highway and slammed into a concret pole last October. He shattered the two major bones in one leg and ripped his knee ligaments off the bone in his other.

He fought back tears as he confessed he should be dead and told of the strain the accident has put on his family.

Both Rachel and Dante stressed to the teenagers they never thought this could happen to them. They thought they were bullet-proof and have learned the hard way they are not.They warned them to always be aware of their surrounds when they drive.They pleaded with them to get as much experience on the roads as possible as learner drivers.

The three teenagers listened silently to Rachel and Dante, with mouths wide open.

Victoria's Assistant Commissioner for Traffic Ken Lay also attended the session. He said it was very clear the youngsters listened to the road accident victims much more intently than they would ever listen to him or to their parents.

All three kids told me afterwards this meeting had a huge impact on them.

Who knows if it will effect the way they eventually drive? But I know as a parent I will, at least, be able to talk shorthand to my son every time he walks out the door to drive.

Rather than scream "Don't drink and drive!", "Don't speed!", or "Don't do anything stupid!", I will just quietly say "Remember Rachel and Dante".

All I hope is that will make him stop and think. I hope a little bit of shock will go a long way.