Partnership News
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Mock collision to highlight drink drive dangers
New students will see the consequences of drinking and driving next week as an injured passenger is cut from a smashed car in Sheffield.
Thankfully, on this occasion, the situation is a mock collision, part of a hard-hitting ‘Drive for Life’ presentation taking place at Sheffield Hallam University on Monday, 20 September, aimed at educating young drivers about potential dangers when getting behind the wheel.
‘Drive for Life’ is a South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership initiative and is delivered by South Yorkshire Police, South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue and the four councils from across the county. Thousands of students have already seen the presentation with nearly 3000 more already booked in for the coming year. The injured passenger in the collision will be ‘Guest of Honour’ Paul Blomfield MP, the Member of Parliament for Sheffield Central. Councillor Ian Auckland, Cabinet Member for Sustainable Development and Transport at Sheffield City Council said: "The Drive for Life scheme teaches young people how to be respectful drivers. Getting your first car is an exciting time in anyone's life but it also comes with a lot of responsibility. "Interactive sessions like this are a great way of showing the young people taking part exactly how drink/drug driving, driver reactions and speed can all cause accidents." PC John Scruby, Casualty Reduction Officer for South Yorkshire Police, said: "The event has been a great success so far, with many of the participants stating they had altered their own attitudes to driving after attending. "Facts are put to them that they may have no previous knowledge of, for example, the 17 to 24-year-old age group make up only 10% of the driving population, but are directly involved in over a third of fatal and serious injury collisions. "Another example is that cannabis can remain detectable in the body for over four weeks and any trace will affect the custodial sentence for a driver involved in such a collision." SYFR's Station Manager Jon Torn, from Community Safety, said: "The crash scene scenarios we create at these events are extremely realistic and it gives young people an idea of the shocking consequences of drinking and driving. "Some of those watching may have just passed their driving test, others could be learning to drive or will be passengers in a car, so we want to get the message across that dangerous driving can have awful consequences." Paul Blomfield MP said: "I'm taking part in the mock 'car crash' to promote awareness about the devastating effects of drink and drug driving. I welcome students back to Sheffield for Freshers Week and I hope everyone enjoys themselves and stays safe. The wreckage of this car is a stark warning about what can happen if people get behind the wheel after having a drink."
