Teens shocked by hard-hitting safety message

Supported by AXA Insurance, and Larne DPP, the award-winning ‘It Could be You’ roadshow, was seen by around 330 students during a recent event at Larne Grammar School.

Recognising that many people under 25 years of age are killed or injured on our roads, the roadshow aims to positively influence those drivers who are about to start out on what will hopefully be a long and safe motoring career.

Constable Syd Henry believes that one of the key areas in reducing the number of deaths and serious injuries on the roads among the youth population is education.

“We are extremely pleased that schools from across the area are firmly on board with the roadshow concept. It is only through educating our young people about the dangers that motorists can face on the roads that we can make a difference.”

The roadshow, which so far has been seen by approximately 100,000 teenagers across Northern Ireland, graphically depicts how a night out can end in tragedy and permanent disability.

The story is told by a police officer, a paramedic, a fire officer, an Accident and Emergency consultant, a representative of a victim support group and the real life story of a young woman, who was paralysed following a horrific collision. The narrative is interspersed with music, video clips and television and cinema advertisements.

Constable Henry added: “I have no doubt that those who attended the roadshow are shocked, perhaps even horrified, by what they see. We make no apology for that.

“We believe that showing realistically what happens on our roads has a strong impact on the students who attend.

“I hope that after seeing the roadshow they realise that they are not indestructible; that they are more vulnerable on the roads and that they must respect the roads and other users.”

Donna McCabe, manager of AXA Insurance’s branch in Larne, and official sponsors of the Roadsafe Roadshow series, commented: “As one of the largest insurance groups in Europe we deal with hundreds of claims every week as a result of traffic collisions.

“The effects are well documented - too many people are being killed on our roads or are being injured for life. Young people are particularly over-represented. They must begin to acknowledge that road accidents don’t just happen.

“AXA Insurance has a strong commitment to road safety through its sponsorship of the Roadsafe Roadshows and we hope that young people will learn from this event, think twice about the seriousness of safety when driving and realise the real consequences of taking risks on the road.”