27/11/2007 - Kendal pupils to get road accident demonstration

Pupils in Kendal are to receive a hard-hitting lesson on the devastation caused by road accidents.

Members of the media are invited to Kirkbie Kendal School on Friday 30 November, at 1:50pm where Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron will join pupils to see firefighters cut a road accident ‘victim’ from a damaged vehicle.

The vehicle rescue demonstration will mark the conclusion of a two-part road awareness training package delivered by Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service to Year 11 pupils at the Lound Road school.

The first part of the training package, delivered several weeks ago, saw firefighters use a sobering and often graphic road safety film to drive home the destructive consequences of neglecting road safety.

Amongst young people, road collisions are the most common cause of accidental death in Cumbria, with 17-year-old male drivers seven times more likely to be involved in an accident than any other age groups.

Cumbria Fire and Rescue’s Gary Wilson, said: "On average, Cumbrian firefighters rescue ten times as many people from road collisions as they do from property fires.

"Getting young people to think carefully about their own road safety is extremely important. These school visits are designed to get the message across that failing to think before crossing the road or getting into a friend's car can have devastating consequences."

ENDS

Media enquiries to Mark Graham, Media Officer on 01228-606337