A dramatic fatal collision scene was created this week by budding film directors from Bury Sixth Form College in a bid to highlight the dangers facing road users.
Students acted out an incident in which a young man is killed crossing the road along with Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) on Wednesday May 8.
Students from the college’s media department filmed the event and will now produce a hard-hitting DVD to be shown to around 5,000 sixth form students.
The initiative is part of National Road Safety Week, which runs from Monday May 6 to Sunday May 12, and GMFRS Watch Manager Craig Pinder proclaimed the day a huge success.
“The students have put so much effort into organising this event, working together with different departments in the college to create a realistic scenario and they have done a fantastic job,” he said.
‘VITAL SAFETY MESSAGES’: Re-enactment of crash scene
“I hope that the event itself and the resulting video will allow us to get across vital safety messages to young people in Bury.”
Alongside crews from Whitefield and Bury fire stations, officers from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and paramedics from North West Ambulance Service also took part in the re-enactment.
One aim of the day was to raise awareness of the dangers that using mobile phones and other media devices can pose for drivers, and pedestrians crossing the road.
This aim echoes the message that National Road Safety Week is hoping to send out, with the focus targeting pedestrian safety and the idea of looking after fellow road users.
Chief Inspector Rachel Buckle from GMP’s Road Policing Unit said the issues surrounding road safety are one of the police’s top priorities.
WORKING TOGETHER: Greater Manchester Police, Fire and Rescue Service and Bury Sixth Form College students
“Greater Manchester Police has been working with partner agencies to reduce road deaths and we will not rest on our laurels while lives are still being lost,” she said.
“I’m pleased to see that 22 lives have been saved in comparison to last year. However, 51 people have still died in road accidents in 2012 and this is 51 too many.
“I’m appealing to drivers, passengers and pedestrians to stay safe, follow our advice and help us to make the roads of Greater Manchester safer for all.”
Jack Maidment, 17, who studies creative media production and film studies and also directed the DVD said: “We worked with the fire service to set up a scenario, from which we created a storyboard and structured the filming. It has been a great project to be involved in.”
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