Downpatrick DEA Supports Safety Event for Young Drivers at Bishopscourt Racing Circuit
Keeping young people safe on our roads was the key focus of the Young Drivers Initiative held at Bishopscourt Racing Circuit.
Pupils from De La Salle Secondary School, Downpatrick and St Malachy’s High School, Castlewellan, attended the safety event.
It was organised in partnership with Downpatrick District Electoral Area Forum, New Driver NI, Drive Techniques Driving School, NIFRS and the PSNI.
The event commenced with the NIFRS’s ‘Your Choice’ programme.
Through the use of virtual reality headsets, students got to experience the reality of becoming a front seat passenger trapped in a vehicle involved in a road traffic collision.
They could observe up close the work of the emergency services. This was followed by a presentation highlighting dangers on the road.
New Drive NI provided information on car insurance, drawing attention to the difference that vehicle modifications make to premiums for young drivers.
Students were also given a lesson on how to carry out basic vehicle safety checks on cars, followed by an opportunity to drive around Bishopscourt Racing Circuit, accompanied by a fully qualified driving instructor.
The NIFRS delivered a comprehensive demonstration on how crash victims are cut out of a vehicle following an accident with some of the students participating as casualties in the accident.
To make this demonstration more realistic, the PSNI arrested the driver, searched the motorist for a mobile phone and undertook a breathalyser test before escorting the driver away in handcuffs.
Chairperson of Newry Mourne and Down District Council, Councillor Valerie Harte, said: “It’s imperative that we educate our young people on the dangers they may face on our roads.
“Statistics demonstrate that our district area has the third highest number of road traffic casualties within the North of Ireland.
“This event has highlighted the devastating consequences of unsafe driving and delivered some hard-hitting images and presentations which I hope will be remembered by participants when they get behind a steering wheel.
“I’m pleased to hear that feedback from participants and their schools has been very positive and I congratulate all those involved in delivering this impressive project.”
The success of this innovative initiative was highlighted last year when local driving instructor Kim Colhoun, Drive Techniques Driving School, received Driving Instructor of the Year at the annual NI Road Safety Awards for her role in the development of this programme for young drivers.
