Around 15,000 South Australian students a year are expected to be educated at a new South Australian Police Road Safety Centre in Adelaide's Western Suburbs.

The Road Safety Centre, formerly located at Thebarton Barracks, has helped educate and develop lifesaving skills of more than 500,000 young people since being established over 40 years ago.

The move to a more public setting will further open the centre to the wider community and help disseminate important road safety messaging.

The new centre, part of the West Beach Parks precinct, features:

• An improved mock roadway including an intersection with traffic lights, pedestrian crossings, a roundabout and traffic signs.
• Interactive foyer and classrooms with supervised practical component.
• Driving simulators to highlight the dangers of speeding and using a mobile phone.
• Free bikes and helmets for community members and students to use on the mock roadway.
• Training rooms, bike storage areas, kitchen spaces and other facilities.

The Road Safety Centre also produces fact sheets, posters and other resources to promote the Fatal Five and raise awareness.
School and community groups can book a range of free programs facilitated by SAPOL’s Road Safety Section.

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said the new centre has been purpose-built to deliver a range of free road safety skills for people of all ages in a safe and fun environment.

"The mock roadway is a key feature of the new centre, which will give children the opportunity to learn road safety fundamentals with their families and carers, or in a session with members of the Road Safety Section," Commissioner Stevens said.

"The centre also offers new simulators to give the experience of driving under hazardous conditions in a safe environment – this includes driving whilst using a mobile phone and above the speed limit."