Road safety message to students

10:35pm Tuesday 4th March 2008

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TEENAGERS in East Lancashire are being targeted in a hard-hitting education project aimed at tackling young driver deaths and injuries.

John Bennett, personal injury solicitor for Forbes Solicitors in Accrington, is teaming up with national road safety charity Brake for the presentation on safe driving.

Construction and motor vehicle students at Accrington and Rossendale College have been invited to attend the presentation at the college on Friday.

The project from Mr Bennett will cover the dangers of speeding, drink and drugged driving and not belting up.

It comes after the Lancashire Telegraph launched the Wasted Lives campaign last year to try and cut the carnage among young and inexperienced drivers.

He said: "As a father myself and seeing devastation caused by accidents I felt it important to help spread the safety message to youngsters.

"I have heard about the campaign being run by the Lancashire Telegraph and I am happy to support what it is aiming to achieve because we are aiming for the same things.

"I hope that by teaching young people about the consequences of speeding, drink and drug driving and not belting up, I can make real difference to road safety in Lancashire."

Cathy Keeler, head of campaigns at Brake, said it is important to educate young people about safe driving to tackle the "appalling carnage" on our roads.

She said: "Young people are responsible for a huge proportion of road deaths and injuries - often due to a combination of inexperience and risk-taking.

"By educating young people face-to-face, we're getting the message across that risk-taking behind the wheel kills, and empowering young people to protect themselves, their friends and other road users."

Students aged 16 and 17 will learn about the risks faced by young drivers and the impact of road deaths and injuries on young people and their families.

They will be shown a DVD produced by Brake that includes interviews with bereaved families and emergency service professionals, who witness the carnage of road crashes first-hand.