PUPILS from two Wee County secondary schools attended the annual Safe Drive, Stay Alive roadshow last week.

Senior students from Alva and Alloa academies went to the Macrobert Arts Centre in Stirling where they were shown the dangers of careless and dangerous driving.

Youngsters in attendance are shown the vital job emergency service personnel do when they are called to a road traffic accident.

They then hear from victims, some paralysed, and families of young people who have died as a result of dangerous driving.

Scott McEwan, head teacher at Alva Academy, paid tribute to the show and hailed the positive effect it has on pupils.

He said: "The Safe Drive, Stay Alive event plays a vital role in raising the awareness of our young people to the dangers faced by new drivers.

"It is extremely powerful and leaves a real impression on our pupils."

Colin Bruce, Alloa Academy headteacher, added: "Learning about road safety is an extremely important topic to ensure we keep our young people safe.

"We really appreciated this input as it has really helped our Alloa Academy pupils be more aware of the responsibilities that come with driving and keeping themselves safe."

Firefighter Alan Faulds, watch manager at Alloa Fire Station and organiser of the roadshow, told the Advertiser how important it is for the pupils to attend.

He said: "It went really well. We had one school [Lornshill Academy] not come for a variety of reasons, but aside from that it was very well supported with 3,766 people coming through the doors.

"The message we want to put across I think was definitely delivered. I spoke with pupils before and after and could see they got it.

"We tell them to be more responsible when they are in a car or in the holidays when they are out on their bikes.

"After the holidays I will go to all the schools who attended to do a follow up and see what everyone remembers."

Alan added that he believes the low number of road deaths in Clacks can be directly attributed to the show.

He continued: "The road safety numbers in Clackmannanshire are always generally low and I think that is partly down to Safe Drive.

"Before it started, 12 years ago, they were higher than they are now.

"If you put the message right in front of them [pupils] then they get it better. Young people see it and it is hard hitting."

Despite the huge numbers who attend and the success of the shows, it is now under threat as Clackmannanshire Council's budget proposal has marked the roadshow as a potential money saver.

To lose the shows would be a "travesty", Alan insisted.

He added: "The challenge is funding. We are losing Falkirk's and probably Stirling's and if we do then we will go down other roads.

"I understand about stopping the money, but it would be a travesty if we lost this. As long as I have anything to do with it, it will keep going."