Safe Drive Stay Alive

Jamie MacDonald • Published 3 Feb 2010 12:34 0 Comments

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Some of the participants in the hard hitting Safe Drive Stay Alive

HIGH school pupils from across Clackmannanshire have been given a taste of the devastating impact that can occur as a result of not taking care and attention whilst on the road.

As a joint effort by Central Scotland Police and Fire Service, the Scottish Ambulance Servics and Forth Valley NHS, Safe Drive Stay Alive 2010 incorporated a video telling the story of three teenagers involved in a fatal car crash.

The video was interjected with short talks by members of the emergency services describing in a matter of fact way their roles in dealing with the aftermath of similar incidents.

The hard hitting campaign attempted to give pupils, 540 of whom were from Alloa, Lornshill and Alva Academies, an insight into the life altering consequences of distracting the driver, not wearing a seatbelt or not taking the required care on the road.

The show was given an added poignancy following the recent tragic death of Rachael Ward, from Tillicoultry, following a collision on the A908 between Benview and Devonside.

Last year 11 people died on Central Scotland's roads. In addition 134 serious injuries were sustained with 28 serious casualties within the 17-25 age group.

If the organisers of Safe Drive Stay Alive 2010 were after a punch greater than anything Mike Tyson could muster they certainly achieved that by inviting family members who have coped with the death or serious injury of a son, daughter or sibling as a young adult.

Before each show began Central FM DJ Grant Thomson had the hundreds of school kids in the Macrobert Centre dancing to party tunes but minutes into the film the pupils were completely silent.

The only noise from the audience during the whole show was gasps of shock and the odd sob, especially when David Galloway was brought on to the stage in his wheelchair.

Seconds earlier a video had been shown of David dancing at a party, aged 18, and his father John explained the family's life after he was in a crash eight years ago whilst not wearing a seatbelt.

Due to the injuries he sustained David is now only able to talk through a computer. He told the audience it was three years before he left hospital, and he is now severely disabled and will need 24-hours a day assistance for the rest of his life.

He added, "Safe Drive Stay Alive - but not alive like me."

Pauline Howie, from Alva, was one of the parents who spoke on stage about her daughter who was left paralysed from the waist down following a crash.

She told the Advertiser, "I think the recent accident and this show has brought the message home to kids.

"It is more personal having families affected by road crashes involved - it reinforces the realness."

Pauline went on, "When the youngsters go in to watch they are all 'Jack the lad' but when you see them come out it really has affected them deeply."

Central Scotland Police Chief Superintendent Gordon McKenzie said statistics show that one in five new drivers are involved in a crash in the first six months after passing their test.

He went on, "This is a really important opportunity to get across to young drivers and their passengers especially to take care.

"Passengers have a responsibility to let them drive and we want them to know it can happen to you.

"This is the third year and in terms of the impact it has been very well received and has had a huge impact on the pupils."

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