Project aims to put a Brake on boy racers

Nov 23 2009 By Helen Rae, The Journal

A ROAD safety campaign will go direct to students at sixth form colleges in the North East in a bid to educate boy racers about the dangers of drink driving.

The project by County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service is part of road safety charity Brake’s annual Road Safety Week, which begins today.

Last year, 32 people were killed or seriously injured in County Durham and Darlington where the driver was impaired by alcohol, with 84% of these drivers being male and aged between 17 to 25.

Statistics also show there were 133 deaths on roads throughout the North East last year, with a further 1,200 people badly hurt.

Although accurate drug driving figures are not currently available, research by Transport Research Agency, suggests that similar, if not higher, numbers of deaths may be due to illegal drug drivers.

Susan Johnson, chief executive of Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service, said: "I fully support Brake Road Safety Week and the work of the service and its partners in seeking to reduce the number of road traffic collisions attended by all of the emergency services.

"Educating young drivers must be of the highest priority.

"By their very nature these serious collisions have a devastating impact on families and loved ones and are a huge drain on the emergency services and the health service."

The colleges that will be visited include East Durham College, Houghall College, New College in Durham, and Derwentside College.

Last night, the head of Balance – the North East’s alcohol office and the first of its kind in the UK – backed the idea of taking the road safety message to youngsters.

Colin Shevills, director of Balance, said: "We welcome any initiative that helps point out the dangers of drink driving.

"Sometimes there is the assumption that drink driving is a problem we have tackled, but these statistics show how dangerous drink driving is and how the message not to do it still needs to be addressed.

"Mixing drinking alcohol with driving is deadly.

"It is critical people know how dangerous it is and we are pleased community safety officers in Durham, and no doubt community safety officers across the North East, are doing their best to educate youngster about the dangers of mixing the two things."

County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service will also be placing information and safety messages about drink driving on its website www.ddfire.gov.uk.