Young Driver Safety Event

Teenagers from schools throughout Essex will learn the importance of staying safe on the roads at a special symposium in Braintree next month.

Around 200 teenagers will come together at Towerlands in Braintree on Thursday February 25 where they will participate in a number of workshops which will take them through the effects and consequences of a real life road incident which left one teenager dead, one in a coma, eight injured and the driver jailed for six years.

Youngsters will hear about how an accident in which a car hit a group of a round 20 teenagers in Tyrone Road, Thorpe Bay, in March 2008 has affected the lives of the victims and the driver and their families.

It will include a DVD in which the driver, who was 17 at the time of the collision, speaks for the first time about what happened, the events leading up to it and the after effect of the crash.

The day has been organised by Essex County Council’s Young Essex Assembly.

Stephanie Peck, 18, a member of the Assembly said: “Last year there were 123 people under the age of 18 killed or seriously injured as a result of road incidents. The Young Essex Assembly has undertaken to try and reduce this number to less than 100 in 2010.

“The incident in Thorpe Bay last year impacted on the lives of many young people and their families and shows the devastating effect a moment of madness behind the wheel of a car can have.

“Through this we want young people to learn about the consequences of road incidents and why it is important that they make sure that they, and their friends, stay safe behind the wheel.”

Helen Fulton, 16, another Young Assembly Member said: “We have invited two or three people from each school and the idea is that they will each take part in workshops where they look at what happens following a serious road incident hearing from police and the fire service.

“They can then take this message back to their school to tell their friends and classmates.

“Too many young people are hurt or killed on the roads of Essex and we hope that if we can teach them about the consequences of these incidents we can make the roads a safer for everyone.”

The Young Essex Assembly is the elected youth council consisting of 75 young people from around Essex who are aged between 11 and 19 years who have been elected to represent the voice of all young people in the county and campaign to make a positive difference to their lives.