"Hard-hitting" presentation drives home the importance of road safety

Wednesday 20 October 2021

‘Licence to Kill’ road safety presentations are more important than ever, students have been told, following a number of fatal accidents in the past year.

Presentations are being delivered to students this week as part of the annual campaign to raise awareness of the 'fatal four' - speeding, alcohol, not wearing a seatbelt and using a mobile phone while driving.

The presentation delivered by Guernsey Police, St John Emergency Ambulance Service and Guernsey Fire & Rescue promotes road safety to Year 11 students, many of whom will soon be behind the wheel themselves.

Pictured: The presentations include footage and evidence of local accidents.

Emergency Ambulance Service Paramedic Dean Robilliard reflected on the tragic road accidents that have happened in the last year.

“Very sadly we have seen a number of seriously road traffic collisions in the past year, where people have been seriously hurt and in two cases young people have died as a result of crashes.

“We want our roads to be safer for everyone and I hope this presentation will have a positive impact on the next generation of young drivers.”

The sessions include “hard-hitting” footage of local accidents and interviews with victims and their families. 

“As the ones who attend crashes, we know how they can affect people," said Firefighter Gavin Robins. "So while the message is hard hitting, we are empathetic to people’s feelings and we encourage young people to talk about the issues after the presentation."

“Once the students leave the theatre it is over to them to put these lessons into practice"

“People think that Guernsey roads equal safe roads,” explained Matthew Du Port, an Officer from the Roads Policing Unit.

“This year proves that not to be the case and we want to show, in the starkest possible terms, what can happen when people decide not to take road safety seriously.”

‘Licence to Kill’ is sponsored by local insurance brokers Rossborough. Managing Director, Richard Clarke, said: “We recognise the extensive benefits of educating young students on how dangerous the roads can be and how easily accidents can happen.”