Surviving Driving

Background

Fire deaths and injuries have significantly reduced over recent years with the introduction of prevention and education based activities within schools and homes. Road Traffic Collisions (RTC) are a considerable challenge to West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS) and our partners. WMFS attended 2182 RTCs during 2007/08 (232 in Coventry).

In the Coventry area, during 2006/08 there were 19 fatal and 228 seriously injured casualties (KSIs). 72 of whom were aged 16 – 24 and 83% of them lived in Coventry. (Police Stats 19 data)

Young people make up 10% or the population yet disproportionately account for 40% or the KSIs and 95% of collisions attributable to bad driver behaviour:

  • Excessive and inappropriate Speed
  • Failure to wear seatbelts
  • Drink and drug driving
  • Dangerous driving

What was done?

An interactive event was held with the following target audience:-

  • 15 – 18 year olds in secondary schools and sixth form education
  • Youth groups in the Coventry area
  • Newly qualified drivers or those about to qualify
  • Young people signposted as those who are already in or in danger of entering the Youth Justice System for driving related offences

To educated and change attitudes towards:-

  • Speeding and inappropriate speed
  • Drink/drugs driving
  • Inexperience v Overconfidence
  • Peer Pressure
  • Wearing seatbelts

The event provided education in relation to the issues above and included impactive activities, demonstrations and accounts or the serious and varying consequences of inappropriate and dangerous driving for the attendees and others.

The event was hosted and organised by WMFS in partnership with Arena Company Ltd (ACL), Driving Standards Agency, West Midlands Police, West Midlands Ambulance/Air Ambulance, Coventry City Council, Coventry Community Safety Partnership, Peugeot, and British School of Motoring, Mercian Housing and the Casualties Union. All of the funding for the event was provided by some of the partners above.

The objectives were linked to and supported:-

  • The Sustainable Communities Strategy for Coventry and Local Area Agreement in relation to:- Reducing crime through well targeted activity, and working in partnership to change the behaviour of persistent offenders and reduce re offending. Specifically: Rate of proven re-offending by young offenders, Reducing serious acquisitive crime and First time entrants to the Youth Justice System aged 10 – 17.
  • The ‘Staying Safe’ element of the ‘Every Child Matters Framework’ ( NI 48 The number of young people killed and seriously injured in RTCs).
  • Delivery of targets against national indicators 47 and 48 in relation to death and injury on the roads

It provided opportunity to engage young people and their families in positive activities that promote healthy and safe lifestyles and making a greater positive contribution to the community.

Key outcomes and impact

The event was staged at the Ricoh Arena, who provided the venue and associated management and utility costs free of charge. ACL provided food and refreshments ‘at cost’.

1200 young people from the target group attended the event held over two days.

The funding for the event all came from external partners; WMFS contributed resource in the form of people and equipment only. The event cost approximately £11 per head.

The following evaluation is underway:-

  • Teachers evaluation of the event
  • Pre and post evaluation using the electronic evaluation tool for the young people who attended to understand their perceptions and changes in attitudes towards driving.
  • On the day video feedback and evaluation (diary room)


A Debrief of the event and learning points to take forward into the planning and staging of future events has been undertaken.