New safety workshop launched for young Shropshire drivers

The new 'Greenlight' young driver and passenger road safety education workshop is to be offered to all sixth forms, colleges, and schools across the local authority's area, for free.

The workshop for students aged 16 to 18 has been delivered in Herefordshire and Worcestershire by West Mercia Police for more than 10 years. It is now being offered to Shropshire students to the first time after "a review into road safety education delivery".

The virtual workshop focuses on four young people's perspectives on a collision they are involved in and the potential choices they could have made to prevent it.

The council says content is based around the 'fatal four' causation factors - speed, drink/drug driving, mobile phones, and seatbelts - as well as other issues including inexperience and passenger responsibility.

Shropshire Council says new content has been added to the workshop "factoring in the safe and appropriate use of new technologies in vehicles, advice on driving safely in adverse weather, and general safety advice appropriate to the rural context of Shropshire".

A member of the local authority's sustainable travel team will present the digital workshop alongside a roads policing officer from West Mercia Police.

The council says the officer will "discuss the legal responsibilities on drivers and riders as well as their own story of policing the roads, attending collision scenes, and acting as family liaison officer".

Students will also be given essential safety advice to use.

Shropshire Council's Cabinet member for children and education Kirstie Hurst-Knight, said: "We want to do all we can to keep our young people safe on the roads.

"I'm very pleased that we've joined up with West Mercia Police to deliver this free and really important workshop to 16-to-18 year-olds across the Shropshire Council area. I hope as many school and colleges as possible will sign up to help keep their students safe."

Superintendent Stuart Bill from West Mercia Police added: "We are extremely pleased to work alongside Shropshire Council to introduce the Greenlight young driver and passenger education programme to Shropshire.

"Almost 50,000 young people have taken part in the workshop in Worcestershire and Herefordshire over the last 12 years and we hope to reach even more going forward to raise awareness of the positive choices that young people can make - as both drivers and passengers - to stay safe on the roads.

"Newly qualified or younger drivers unfortunately do feature highly in our collision statistics so road safety education and enforcement of the law both remain key priorities for us to keep our communities safe."