Students at the King's Lynn campus have been educated about the driving ‘fatal four’: using a mobile phone, excessive speed, drink/drugs and not wearing a seatbelt.
Kristie Burdett, Community Fire Safety Team Manager for Norfolk Fire & Rescue, organised a demonstration that took place at the college’s King’s Lynn campus. Members from the police, ambulance and fire emergency services came together to show the impact of a crash when one of the fatal four is a contributing factor in a campaign called #impact.
CWA graphic design student, Mason Parish, volunteered to be ‘rescued’ from a crashed car by the fire service, who used extrication tools to cut off the roof. Thomas Semmons knows all too well the reality making driving errors. He was in a serious collision when he was 18, and had to be cut free from his own car by emergency services. “I came off the road because I was going too fast around a bend,” he said, “I received 15 fractures, including a dislocated collarbone, and my lung collapsed.”
Thomas works with the Norfolk Fire & Rescue service and delivering the #impact campaign. He hopes that by sharing his experience with young people, they will avoid the same mistake he made, and be more aware of the effects that the fatal four have on their driving.
Kirstie Burdett said, “The aim of #impact is to raise awareness in young people who are driving, or thinking about driving. We want to enforce the message of driving safely while also showing them, proactively and physically, what the consequences of unsafe actions can be.”
While the demonstration was taking place, students who were watching were encouraged to write down ‘pledges’ that they would make with regards to their driving behaviours. “The pledges are the most important part for us” said Kristie “they show that drivers have acknowledge what we are teaching them, and we will come back in a few months’ time to ask if they still keep their pledges on their person and, most importantly, if they still remember what the fatal four are.”