Huge success for Safe Drive Stay Alive

The event takes a different approach in delivering road safety advice, relying on detailed first-hand experience and true stories to highlight the impact of dangerous driving. 

A key part of the events featured harrowing first-hand accounts of some of the incidents emergency service workers have attended delivered to the packed audience. The vivid details of each story provided a stark reminder of some of the dangers of driving, be it going too fast, texting while behind the wheel, or simply not concentrating.

Interspersed between each talk was a video about a victim of an accident, with family members providing poignant stories about their lives. The emotional aspect of each video showed the human loss and tragedy of each car crash.

In attendance at the event was Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, Beverley Hughes, who said: “The event I attended was both sobering and positive. Sobering, because the stories were harrowing. Positive because of the strong message that road traffic accidents can often be prevented.

“I think everyone who came along, adults as well as young people, will think hard about how they can be more responsible in a car, whether as a driver or passenger. This will help them protect themselves and other people from the catastrophic effects of road traffic accidents.”

The Safe Drive Stay Alive initiative was launched in 2014 by the Greater Manchester Reduction Partnership to reduce the number of deaths caused by driving with a young person involved. Various organisations work in collaboration as part of the partnership, including Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, Greater Manchester Police and North West Ambulance Service.