Whitehaven firefighters are using fast food to encourage young drivers in Copeland to slow down.
This Friday (27 June) from 8:30pm, fire crews will be teaming up with McDonalds to offer free burgers and fries to young drivers who undertake a road awareness training session at the fast-food chain’s outlet in Whitehaven’s Bridges Retail Park.
A Learn Direct bus will be parked outside the restaurant where young drivers will be given the Fire and Rescue Service safety presentation. The hard-hitting education package includes a hard-hitting film home the graphic consequences of dangerous driving.
Among young people, road collisions are the most common cause of accidental death in Cumbria, with 17-year-old male drivers seven times more likely to be involved in an accident than other age groups.
Caroline Hodgson, community safety coordinator for Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service, said: "This is an ideal place to deliver our road awareness training package.
"I’m delighted with the support we’ve been given by McDonalds who are really going the extra-mile to help make the event a success.
"On average, Cumbrian firefighters rescue ten times as many people from road accidents as they do from property fires.
"Reducing accidents on the county's roads means educating more people about the devastating consequences of neglecting driver safety- something this event will help us to do and I would urge all young drivers to attend as they really will find it of benefit to them."
ENDS
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