Fledgling motorists from across Edinburgh are getting a hard-hitting introduction to the risks of driving at a popular road safety event this week.
Hundreds of sixth-year pupils will once again test out crash simulators, drunk goggles and even sit behind the wheel of an electric bus as part of the Streets Ahead Edinburgh Young Driver event, which is back at the Corn Exchange for an eighth year, hosted again by Forth 1 DJ Grant Thomson.
The ever-popular event is jointly run by all partners in Streets Ahead Edinburgh, namely City of Edinburgh Council, Police Scotland, NHS Lothian, Scottish Fire & Rescue Service, Transport Scotland and Scottish Safety Camera Unit (East). It is supported by Digby Brown Solicitors, who are again bringing their interactive ‘mock court’ to the Young Driver event.
Returning this year to speak to the young drivers is Laura Torrance. Laura, 35, has been a wheelchair user since 1999 when she was seriously injured in a car accident at the age of 16.
As well as meeting Laura, sixth-year pupils attending the four-day event will have the opportunity to try out a range of fun, interactive activities highlighting the dangers of driving, such as drunk goggles, a seatbelt slide and a breathalyser.
A presentation by Police Scotland will further help drive home safety messages by using dash-cam footage of an incident involving a young driver, while Operation Close Pass will show pupils the safe distances for overtaking a cyclist on the road.
Edinburgh Trams and Lothian are both taking part in Young Driver again this year, with pupils getting the chance to sit behind the wheel of a stationary electric bus to highlight driver visibility first hand.
Cycling group Spokes is also involved in the event, and will be highlighting its Be Bike Alert campaign which shows motorists the problems experienced on the roads by cyclists, and advises on some of the driving skills needed to avoid endangering cyclists in these situations
All photos Ian Georgeson
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
