Deadly Impact
North Wales Fire and Rescue Service together with our road safety partners - Taith, North Wales Police, Welsh Ambulance Service Trust and Bikesafe, are involved in educating young drivers and pre-drivers between 16-24, about the consequences of poor or inappropriate driving.
Young drivers only make up 10% of the driving population, however, 25% of all drivers killed in Road Traffic Collisions (RTC's) are aged 17-25 and road traffic collisions are the biggest killer of this age group.
We aim to educate and inform young drivers and passengers by engaging with them in different ways: - The "Deadly Impacts" road safety show, which is delivered to schools and colleges across North Wales, to students who are driving or about to drive. We also assist with Pass Plus Cymru which assists newly qualified drivers in gaining experience and more skills.
We aim to visit every College across North Wales to deliver Deadly Impacts to as many students as possible to ensure that the message is widespread.
"Deadly Impacts" is a hard hitting, sometimes graphic presentation which highlights the tragic consequences of fatal road traffic collisions to young drivers and passengers. Tragically, most young females die as passengers than as drivers.
In addition, we carry out Outreach activities, whereby we will engage with young drivers with our Subaru Impreza Sti, alongside North Wales Police Roads Policing Officers, in order to "break down barriers" and encourage responsible driving.
The "Fatal 5" are the biggest contributory factors in road traffic collisions resulting in deaths and serious injuries, these are:
· SPEEDING
· NOT WEARING SEATBELTS
· DRINK/DRUG DRIVING
· USE OF MOBILE PHONES WHILST DRIVING
· CARELESS/RECKLESS DRIVING
A combination of these when driving increases a driver or their passengers chances of being involved in a road traffic collision, particularly if a seatbelt is not worn as you are 25 times more likely to be ejected from a vehicle if not wearing a seat belt.
Drug driving is also on the increase and North Wales Police officers demonstrate the Field Impairment Tests used on suspected drug drivers during the "Deadly Impacts" presentation.