Bexhill College road safety day

The stark consequences of being involved in a car accident were demonstrated to students as Bexhill College hosted a day of road safety talks.

Road crashes are the biggest killer when it comes to accidental deaths amongst the under-20s in the UK.

About one in eight licence holders are aged 25 or under yet nearly one in three drivers killed are in this age group.

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"Safe Drive Stay Alive" is a show produced by Sussex Police and South East Coast Ambulance Service and co-ordinated by East Sussex Fire & Rescue service. The aim is to reduce the number of fatalities and injuries on our roads.

The presentation began with a film showing the reconstruction of a collision progressing to the aftermath of medical implications and the effect on the families of those involved.

The film was paused at intervals to allow a member of the emergency services to speak to students about their experience of RTCs and to emphasise the dangers young drivers face. These are mainly using excessive speed, driving after drink/drug use, mobile phone use and not wearing a seatbelt.

Students sat in silence as they listened to two volunteers speaking about the trauma of losing family members as a consequence of dangerous driving.

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Rachel Christie lost her 19 year old son two years ago when his friend crashed the car he was a passenger in. The driver had been drinking and taking drugs on the night of the accident.

She said "Our family live with the consequences of these actions every day and will continue to do so for the rest of our lives. If I have made the difference to just one person's behaviour by speaking today, then it has been worthwhile"

Kim Harwood's 15 year old brother died as a consequence of dangerous driving when the car he was travelling in crashed into a telegraph pole. The driver also died instantly. Kim commented "These are the realities of dangerous driving. Even if you haven't been drinking, you need to be aware what can happen as a result of your actions"

Some pupils said they were "really touched" by the event.

Student Joanne Davis commented "I think many teenagers know its wrong to drink and drive, but I don't think anyone really thinks about what state their friends are in, and whether they are ok to drive"