28th March 2008
Gravesend students to witness 'Car'n'age' at fire station
Teenage boys from Gravesend Grammar School will be the first to attend a thought-provoking road safety workshop when it is piloted at Thames-side fire station on Wednesday (2 April).
Research shows that one in three young male drivers will write their cars off in their first year of driving and that the biggest killer of teenage girls is teenage boys driving. In the last three years 30 young people had to be cut out of vehicles in road traffic collisions in the Gravesham and Dartford area alone.
As part of Kent Fire and Rescue Service’s commitment to keeping Kent’s roads safer, Thames-side fire station’s Green Watch has joined forces with Kent Police’s North Kent Traffic Management Unit to devise a package of workshops and live demonstrations to be delivered to year 11 and 12 students at the fire station.
Green Watch Manager Lawrence Pater said: “This pilot scheme is an extension of our existing road safety campaign - ‘Operation Car’n’age’, that is delivered in schools – but now students shall be taken out of their familiar classroom environment to a working fire station, where they will meet and interact with firefighters and police officers who see all too much death and destruction on Kent’s roads each day.”
The presentation includes discussion points and powerful video clips clearly showing the serious impact of road traffic collisions on families, friends and innocent people and Kent Police will talk about the legal consequences of driving at speed and under the influence of drink and drugs. To conclude, students will witness a mock ’crash’ demonstration with live volunteers acting as casualties cut from the wreckage of a road traffic collision.
Watch Manager Pater continued: “The ultimate aim is to encourage young people to take road safety seriously, whether they are a new driver or a passenger, and the Green watch welcomes the opportunity to work with our partners from Kent Police to help reduce the tragic loss of life and injury to this very vulnerable group in our community.”
Ends//
Note to editors:
Reporters and photographers are welcome to attend and interviews will be available on the day.
Location: Thames-side Fire Station
Date: Wednesday 2 April 2008
Time: 10 am to 1pm with live demonstration at 11.40am
Please contact the press office on 01622 692121 to confirm your attendance.
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