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| The aftermath of a serious car crash will be played out to students at North West Kent College in Dartford |
Entitled "Operation Carmageddon", the demonstration involves firefighters from Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) cutting free a mock "casualty" from the wreckage of a crashed car. Staff from Kent Police and the South East Coast Ambulance Trust will also carry out their roles as they would at a real accident.
Crews from Dartford fire station will be taking part in the event at 11am, with the hope of educating young drivers at the college about the possible devastation of dangerous driving.
Dartford Station Manager Brett Egan said: "We know from research that young drivers are more likely to take more risks than experienced drivers; the tragic consequences are that they kill themselves, their passengers or other road users.*
"By working with a college like this, we are taking the message straight to the students and we hope that it will shock them into taking more care while driving. It is our firefighters who have to attend these horrific incidents and cut young people free from the wreckage; we want their only experience of a car crash to be watching this demonstration and learning from it."
More than 500 students, aged between 16 and 19-years-old, are expected to watch the live display.
Nick Butterfield, Student Services Manager at North West Kent College, said: "On average we face the consequences of one or two students being killed or badly injured every year when travelling by car. Anything that lessens this total is worthwhile."
Clinical team leader for South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Trust, Denise Collett said: "Our staff have to witness the horrific consequences of these accidents involving young drivers and can be deeply affected by what they have to deal with. Therefore we are keen to support any initiative which looks to encourage young motorists to act responsibly when driving."
