Road safety promoted at Chichester College.

The West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service’s Safe Drive Stay Alive campaign is designed to reduce the number of young people who are involved in serious road accidents.

Through a hard-hitting stage show the students were given first-hand accounts from families and members of the emergency services who have been affected by fatal and serious road accidents.

Aaron Winter, 17, and Jamie Talbot were two of the 350 students who watched the show on Tuesday.

Aaron said: “It was hard-hitting and it got the message across.

“I’m learning to drive, so it’s made me a bit more cautious. I think I’m going to start slowing down.”

Jamie said: “I think it drives home the effects to a lot of people. It was quite intense.

“It was good to have a first-hand account from people who have been affected.

“It has put me off driving.”

Head of community fire and road safety at the fire service, Roger Wood said: “We have changed it around this year and had some really positive comments back from a lot of the teaching staff, which has been excellent.

“It proves to me that what we are doing is still on the right track and I think if at every show you can save one life, you have achieved your job – there is no doubt about that.

“It tackles many of the common issues that might affect young drivers – bowing to peer pressure, drink-driving, speeding, not wearing seat belts, mobile phone distraction – but it is delivered in an engaging way the students can really relate to.

“The show has a very emotional impact on the audience because the speakers who come on stage and share their experiences aren’t actors, they are the people who have been directly affected by, or seen first-hand, the devastating consequences of a car crash.”

The fire service, in partnership with Sussex Police, South East Coast Ambulance Service and the NHS, launched the Safe Drive Stay Alive Show in 2006.