The Education Project Drive Safe Stay Alive was shown in The Orkney Theatre Kirkwall Grammar School on the evening of Tuesday 18th September. The Educational film had been shown earlier in the day to 150 pupils from Kirkwall, Stromness and Westray.

The film itself introduced you to four young people getting ready for their prom later that evening and successfully drew you into the characters; all of which showed four young people in their prime of life with all to live for. It took you on a journey with each character as they got ready for their prom with all of their excitement palpable, each understandably taking pride in their appearance. We then went with them to their prom where the partying commenced.

After the prom the four teenagers decided to continue onward to a house party and this is when the horror started.

We can all imagine scenarios in our daily lives of being distracted when driving; children in the back of the car, crying or arguing; animals darting out in front of you, phones ringing or, as in the films instance, an argument breaking out over the choice of music; resulting in the driver becoming distracted and ultimately wrapping his car around a tree, throwing one passenger completely out of the vehicle and impaling another.

In the film we watched as each of the emergency services attended the R.T.C. Road Traffic Collision, guiding you through each of their roles from comforting the injured, attending to their injuries, cutting the car in half to release those trapped, to arriving at the home of the person killed and their having to break the news to the family of their loved ones demise. A nightmare scenario for any parent.

We all think we are invisible but we are not and a car is one of the most dangerous pieces of equipment we shall ever use in our lives and should be treated with the utmost respect.

Each of the Emergency Services were represented at Tuesday nights film and took a moment afterward to tell us in their own words what it is like being called to an RTC in Orkney.

This film is extremely hard hitting and harrowing and certainly sends you home with a message:

Don’t let the event of your year turn into a tragedy:

                Safe Drive Stay Alive