Road safety campaign targets young drivers and riders across local high schools in Powys

The Your Future Your Choice campaign, which reached hundreds of students, emphasised the critical importance of safe driving and riding habits. 

The campaign, a collaborative effort between school police officers, Powys roads policing officers, the fire and rescue service, and road safety teams from Powys Council, raised awareness about the consequences of risky behaviour, and how to stay safe behind the wheel. 

A key focus of the campaign was to reinforce the message that road safety is a shared responsibility that requires safer choices from everyone.

Roads Policing Sergeant Rob Hamer said, “Our young people are the drivers and riders of tomorrow, and it’s vital we equip them with the knowledge and skills to stay safe on the road.  

“The Your Future Your Choice campaign has brought together local agencies to provide a clear message: road safety is everyone’s responsibility. By working together, we can help prevent collisions and save lives.” 

During the three-week period, 724 sixth form students heard from our officers about the importance of responsible driving, the dangers of speeding, driving under the influence of drink and drugs, using a mobile device, wearing a seatbelt, and careless and dangerous driving. These are known as the Fatal Five. 

They also heard the story of Olivia Alkir in a powerful, hard-hitting film that was released in March 2022. 

Olivia’s Story explains how 17-year-old Olivia from Ruthin was tragically killed on the B5105 in Ruthin in June 2019 following a collision where two young drivers were racing.  

The police input also covered new drivers licences, the law and penalty points. 

School Liaison Officers Lindsay Sweetman and Gayle Jones said, “We hope that by hearing Olivia’s story, students will leave with a greater understanding of the risks involved in driving and riding, and the responsibility they hold when they get behind the wheel.” 

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service officers provided practical activities on drink and drug driving, which included the use of Virtual Reality (VR) goggles, and go karts and beer goggles where the students had to manoeuvre around cones whilst simulating being under the influence of substances, and the impact that has on driving.  

Jim Campbell and Robert Griffiths from Powys Road Safety Department spoke to the students about drink and drug driving and gave practical demonstrations of how police obtain roadside samples from drivers. 

Powys County Council’s road safety officer, Jim Campbell, added, “This campaign can create a lasting impact. Educating young drivers now can make a huge difference in reducing the number of collisions and fatalities on our roads in the future.” 

Feedback from students has been overwhelmingly positive, with many saying they felt more confident in their ability to make safe choices on the road. The campaign also sparked valuable discussions among students about peer pressure, the dangers of the Fatal Five behaviours, and the importance of speaking out if they witness unsafe driving. 

The campaign is part of an ongoing commitment by Dyfed-Powys Police and partner agencies to reduce collisions and fatalities on our roads. 

Find out more about the campaign on our website - https://www.dyfed-powys.police.uk/police-forces/dyfed-powys-police/areas/campaigns/campaigns/2024/november/your-future.-your-choice/