Safe Drive Campaign Launches In Hampshire
18 November 2013, 07:27 | Updated: 18 November 2013, 07:33
2000 young drivers in Hampshire are taking part in the Safe Drive, Stay Alive campaign.
Last seen in Hampshire several years ago, the revamped theatre in-education production is being run by Hampshire Constabulary in conjunction with Thames Valley Police (TVP).
As part of the redesigned package, the event is now held at a theatre venue, and local council road safety teams arrange for college students to be brought in to take part in the session.
Transport is provided, booked by the participating college, but paid for from the money generated from Driver Awareness Training - investing those funds in to keeping the next generation of road users safe.
The first two events in Hampshire are being held at Winchester Guildhall on November 18 and 19, and officers are expecting over 2,000 15 - 18 year olds to attend.
The event is run in conjunction with a film which revolves around a depiction of four young people who go out for a night out in a car and is involved in a fatal collision in which a young woman is killed, and a male passenger - a bright, young footballer - is paralysed.
At points throughout the video, the film is stopped and emergency response staff including a Roads Policing Officer, paramedic from South Central Ambulance Service, fire fighter from Hampshire Fire & Rescue Service, a NHS consultant from Accident & Emergency, and a parent of a youngster who died in collision, step onto the stage and talk to the attendees about their experiences to make them think of the consequences.
Also included this year is a young woman who suffered a serious, life changing injuries in a collision, who will be telling her story and what she has been through.
Bringing the session to an end, the display screen will show a map of Hampshire which becomes populated with the names and ages of youngsters killed in road traffic collisions.
Sergeant Lyndon Barrett, who co-ordinates the scheme for Hampshire Constabulary, said:
"Safe Drive, Stay Alive is a very impactive performance, performed by real emergency response staff who have a wealth of knowledge and exposure to the horrors of seeing young people die on the roads of Hampshire.
"These people will relate real incidents they have dealt with which have affected them, in an attempt to educate young drivers about the dangers driving can present, and bring home the stark realities of the consequences of being involved in a serious collision.
"If we can prevent just one death or serious injury by doing this, it will have been worthwhile.
"Safe Drive, Stay Away is part of a national initiative that is run in November each to coincide with National Road Safety Week, and we hope repeat these again in the future."