‘Safe Drive Stay Alive’ roadshow returns to Wiltshire schools
Covid-19 had meant the flagship road safety programme, aimed at Year 11-13 students, was paused
Last updated 29th Oct 2021
‘Safe Drive Stay Alive’ is re-launched, ensuring its life-saving messages still reach young people.
The hard-hitting road safety roadshow, aimed at secondary school children, is touring Wiltshire again.
Covid-19 had meant the flagship road safety programme, which targets Year 11-13 students, had to be delivered digitally. Now that restrictions have lifted, schools once again have the option to view the presentation live.
It's coordinated by Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS) on behalf of Wiltshire & Swindon Road Safety Partnership and Dorset Road Safe.
The roadshow uses powerful personal testimony and video footage to make the audience aware of the tragedy and suffering caused by road traffic collisions. Firefighters, medics, police officers, bereaved parents and people who have been directly involved in such incidents recount their stories.
Christine Sharma, Road Safety Manager at Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service, explained:
“Our brave speakers are all local to our service area and have experienced the reality of road traffic collisions, whether as a member of the emergency services, as a victim or as a parent who has lost a child. It is this reality that makes it so successful. We’ve learned and adapted a great deal over the last 12-18 months, incorporating more behaviour change theory and including tools to help empower young people to make the right choices both as passengers and drivers. We are excited about returning to schools and adapting these to our live delivery.”
Why does the scheme target young drivers?
National statistics show that young drivers are involved in a significantly higher number of accidents than the rest of the population.
Just one in eight car licence holders in Britain is under 25
Yet one in three of those who die on our roads is under 25
Road crashes are the biggest killer of those aged between 15 and 24
One young person is killed or seriously injured on our roads every hour
Ailsa Firth, HR Director and Community Lead at Arval UK, said:
“As a leading provider of sustainable mobility we consider our role on safety seriously. Now restrictions have lifted, we’re proud that our long-term support for Dorset & Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service has enabled the ‘Safe Drive, Stay Alive’ events to recommence live and in person across Wiltshire, to help keep more young people safe on the road."
“Ongoing support is vital to community services such as these which are reliant on additional funds to enable these important roadshows to take place. Our colleagues will now also be volunteering to help at the events themselves and it’s this sort of joint approach that makes for such a strong relationship with the Fire and Rescue service, whilst helping young people in local communities across the region.”
The roadshow's relaunch wouldn’t be possible without the help and support from Arval UK.
A parallel programme of school shows is being held in Dorset.
To book the roadshow for your school, email Mandy Pantall mandy.pantall@dwfire.org.uk