Crash film will ‘save lives’ of young people

Shaun Wright, South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner, says the film is a potential life-saver.

Produced by TV company Lime, the film was commissioned by South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue in 2011 following the deaths of six youngsters in two road traffic collisions on the county’s roads in a matter of weeks.

Mr Wright said: “As parent of two young lads, it really brings it home to me that you have to educate young people, because at the age of 16, 17 and 18, they start to make decisions that can be life-changing.”

“I’ve already committed to buying my son a moped for his 16th birthday to help him get around to college and cadets, but it scares the living daylights out of me. The bottom line is that education is key, and if young people are aware of the risks, you can only hope they make the right choices. It’s fantastic work and I only hope every school in South Yorkshire takes up this offer and rolls it out through their PHSE programme.”

The film, which was shot in South Yorkshire and features local actors, will be shown in schools across the county accompanied by a range of resources that aim to raise awareness, change behaviours and reduce the number of RTCs.

Collision tells the story of an everyday group of teenagers and how, through a series of seemingly unrelated events, their lives become intertwined with devastating consequences.

Nationally, RTCs are the biggest killer of young people aged 16 to 24, and the project has been developed from the experiences and perceptions of local teenagers. Coun Jim Andrews, chairman of the South Yorkshire Fire Authority, said the project will ‘save the lives’ of young people in South Yorkshire.

He added: “This is a hard-hitting film that will show 15 to 17 year-olds how not to drive, driving that can kill people.”

“My message to local schools is to have a look at this, grab it, and run with it.”