Educational film shows dangers on our roads

Film cast Sadie Allen, Ian Pullen, Tom Hatfield, Connor Dye, Dale Ledger, Miles Lindley, Alex Williams, Matilda Swinney and Lola Panic

Alex Williams has a lead role in ‘Collision’, which was commissioned after six young people died on South Yorkshire’s roads in just weeks.

The short film will be shown in schools nationwide in a bid to cut deaths and injuries on the roads and promote responsible driving, after being commissioned by South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue.

Jonathan Scott and Robert Tepper, both aged 17, and Lauren Birkett, 16, died after the Vauxhall Corsa they were travelling in hit an oncoming car on Adwick Road, Mexborough, in December 2010.

Michael Gallagher, 16, Tom Hughes, 15, and Antonia Browne, 14, died after their car hit a tree in Conisbrough - just four miles from the scene of the Mexborough crash - in January 2011.

Alex said he was honoured to feature in a film with such a strong message.

The 18-year-old plays Gaz, a teenager who has got his underage girlfriend pregnant in the film and is a passenger in a car which crashes.

“It shocked me what could happen in a crash. I’ve seen what could happen now and I never want to see that in real life,” said Alex, who is a young driver himself.

Alex auditioned for the film after seeing an advert on an industry website.

The film, made by Sheffield web design firm Lime, was launched at Sheffield Hallam University and attended by the cast, new Police and Crime Commissioner Shaun Wright and Fire Authority chairman Jim Andrews.

Alex said: “It’s great for me because it gives me something to put on my CV. It’s the first professional film I have done.”

“It was weird seeing me up on the screen. At first I was a bit worried, but it turned out well.”

“I took a few of my family along to the premiere. There were a few tears from my mum. They were all really proud.”