Cork students get stark lesson about the potential perils of dangerous driving

The annual AXA Roadsafe Roadshow, which is aimed at educating secondary school students on the dangers of driving, took place across two days in Cork city this week.

The roadshow, now in it’s 16th year, took place on Monday and Tuesday at the Clayton Hotel Silver Springs.

This year’s event saw 1,500 Transition Year (TY) students from 14 Cork schools come together to learn about safety behind the wheel.

The award-winning initiative mixes theatre, video and first-hand accounts from gardaí and emergency services to highlight the potential dangers of driving.

As part of the workshop, organisers simulated a nightclub atmosphere for students, before an actor, posing as a young driver, had a tragic car accident.

Students were then walked through the impact of road accidents with a presentation, and were given the opportunity to witness the potential damage caused by a high-speed collision through a staged on-site car crash.

Shared experiences

Speakers at this year’s roadshow included forensic crash investigator Garda Raymond Sweeney, A&E doctor Eoin Fogarty and members of the National Ambulance Service and the Cork City Fire Brigade, who all shared their experiences working with both fatal and non-fatal road traffic collisions.

The vice president of the Irish Road Victims Association, Leo Lieghio, also spoke about his experience losing his 16-year-old daughter, Marsia, who was killed in a hit-and-run in 2005.

Sergeant Robbie Stone of the Cork City Roads Policing Unit said: “We know that statistically young drivers, and particularly young male drivers, continue to be vastly over-represented when it comes to serious injury and fatal road traffic collisions.

“If we can convince people to reduce their speed, to wear their seat belt, to not use their phones while driving, to never drink or take drugs and drive, we will see a reduction in the numbers of lives being lost.

“An Garda Síochána have made huge efforts nationally and locally here in Cork to educate young drivers and the AXA Roadsafe Roadshow is a brilliant opportunity for the next generation of drivers to see the reality of the tragic consequences associated with serious injury and fatal collisions.”