West Sussex County Council: Safe Drive Stay Alive

In February 2006, West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service launched its Safe Drive Stay Alive Road Show. The show has been designed to deliver very hard-hitting messages to young drivers by making them aware of their responsibilities on the road and the potentially lethal results of failing to do so.

In the past 18 months 57 people have died on the roads of Sussex, 19 of these were aged 17-25. Last year a total of 433 people were injured.

Fife Fire & Rescue Service originally initiated Safe Drive Stay Alive, which became a phenomenal success. Safe Drive Stay Alive involves Partnership working with Sussex Police, Sussex Ambulance Service and the NHS in an effort to educate young people and potential new drivers about their actions and possible consequences of drink driving, the use of mobile phones whilst driving, the results of not wearing seat belts and the carnage caused by speeding drivers.

The show starts off with a full-blown disco including dry ice and flashing lights provided by Chichester based DJ Simon Horn. It is intended to set the scene of a typical Friday or Saturday night out clubbing as many young people do.

The show then moves on to feature a film showing a graphical reconstruction of a road traffic crash involving young teenagers.

The video was filmed at several locations around the County and cast by real members of the Emergency Services and local actors. It traces the events leading up to the car crash, and then follows the actions of the emergency services dealing with the incident.

At different times the film is paused whilst serving members of the emergency services and a recently bereaved parent all deliver strong personal testimonies on stage, based on their own experiences.

The launch saw approximately 1,000 young people aged between 15 and 23 attend local theatres to watch three pilot shows held in East Grinstead and Chichester on the 1st and 3rd of February.

After the event, members of the Services Press & Media Department filmed and interviewed some of the students that were in the audience to gauge their reactions.

Feedback forms were handed out to all of the students as they left the venue, which were promptly returned. A selection of these comments can be found below.

The help we have had from other Emergency Service staff has been superb. We feel that we will only cut the number of deaths if we work as a partnership. What we really need now is someone to come forward, maybe a company to sponsor this project to enable us to get this message across to as many youngsters as possible. Ideally we would like to see this event being included in the curriculum for all schools in West Sussex.

If you would like to sponsor this event or need any further information about Safe Drive Stay Alive, please call our Community Fire Safety Department on 01243-786211 Email: wsfrs@westsussex.gov.uk

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Partners:

• Sussex Police
• Sussex Ambulance Service
• National Health Service
• West Sussex County Council Road Safety Department

Sponsors:

• Sussex Safety Camera Partnership
• West Sussex County Council

Supporters:

• Road Peace

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Feedback and Comments

“It was really hard hitting and made you think about safety. It was really helpful; a lot of the time you are given leaflets and you don’t take any notice, but this was really in your face. It was good to get the view of the Services who deal with accidents and crashes and how it affects them.”

Student Aged 17
Bishop Luffa School

“You don’t often think about the effects of things until after they have happened. I think this was a really powerful way of getting this message across.”

Student Aged 16
Bishop Luffa School

I found it interesting to hear from people who have had these experiences, who are brave enough to tell us their story.”

Student Aged 17
Midhurst Grammer School

“The show was really good! It made myself and friends think more about road safety and to think twice before driving and getting into a car with others. I think more shows should be done to get the message across. It was very effective. The commercials at the end of the show were very powerful and should be shown more. A big thank you to all the emergency services.”

Student Aged 17
Chichester College of Arts, Science & Technology

“The response from students and staff who attended has been really positive and they are still talking about it this week. It did have an amazing impact and was superb.”

Deputy Head Teacher

"I was moved to tears and I will never drive my car fast again"

Student Aged 17
Chichester College of Arts, Science & Technology

18-year-old mixed group of sport students:
" We couldn't stop thinking about it driving home last night, we will
definitely do a few things differently"

Member of Staff Chichester College of Arts, Science & Technology:
" I had an automatic sense of guilt as I got in my car and drove better than
I have done in years"

Pictured top right are:-

Back row Georgina Dey, P.C Mark Adfield, Sussex Police, Steve Close, Sussex Ambulance Service, Firefighter, Tony Wills,

Front row left to right: DJ, Simon Horn, Siobhan Mclean and Doctor  Kate Bunyan, NHS

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