Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service Newsdesk

at 13/11/2006 16:55

Firefighters from Cornwall County Fire Brigade and members of Cornwall County Road Safety Unit worked together to get involved in National Road Safety Week (6 – 12 November) to help spread life-saving road safety education in their community.

Firefighters are very aware of the devastation that road crashes cause to families and communities and the high involvement of young people in fatal and serious road crashes.

Young Drivers in the 17-21 age group represent fewer than 10% of licence holders and have lower than average mileage yet are involved in around 20% of all road traffic collisions involving injury. Research indicates that one in five young drivers had a collision in the first year after passing their driving test.

Divisional Officer Steve Brown explained: “Firefighters staged a mock crash extrication, in which volunteers were ‘rescued’ from a wrecked car. They chose to stage it at local colleges where a lot of young and new drivers attend”
He added: “Two volunteers were put in the car and then firefighters from Truro arrived in the fire engine, just as they would at a normal road traffic collision. Students were able to see how difficult it is to release someone from a crushed car and how vital the training and timing of the extrication can be”

After the demonstration Divisional Officer Steve Brown gave the students a presentation on safe driving.

“Cornwall County Fire Brigade supported National Road Safety Week (6 – 12 November) by promoting safe driving to young people – and raising their awareness of the dangers” said Mr Ken Yeo (Lib Dem), Executive Member for Public Protection

He cont: “The firefighters demonstrated to students what they could be faced with if they are ever involved in a road traffic collision. The consequences can be horrific – and if we can increase their awareness of this hopefully it will prevent them ever having to deal with it”

Firefighters are called to many more fatal road traffic collisions than fatal fires. Between January 2004 and September 2005 firefighters in Cornwall were called to 389 road traffic collisions that had caused injury or death compared to 132 fires that had caused injury or death.

Cornwall County Council’s Executive Member for Strategic Planning and Transport Matt McTaggart is supporting the campaign, “We want to get the road safety message out there to as many drivers and road users as possible. We hope that by raising awareness to young drivers of the consequences of a road collision it will make them think twice before they risk the lives of themselves and their passengers.”
Carol Wright, Road Safety Project Co-ordinator said “Most 17 year olds have a desire to drive and many receive a provisional licence and a course of driving lessons on their birthday. Unfortunately nobody tells them how vulnerable they are or how many young people have collisions, some of which are fatal.”

The mock extrication challenges were held at the following venues, thanks to the support of the colleges:

Truro College
10.20am on Friday 10 November
In the Bus Bay Truro College
Followed by a road safety lecture to students

Tremough Campus
2pm on Friday 10 November
Outside student bar, Tremough Campus, Falmouth
Followed by a road safety lecture to students

Bodmin College
1.30pm on Monday 13 November
Outside the front of the college

Photos available from Davinia Grist