'We’re not just telling them what could happen – we’re showing them': virtual reality drives home road safety message to Bedfordshire youngsters
An immersive virtual reality experience is driving home the message of road safety to young people in Bedfordshire.
Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Vision Van uses virtual reality headsets and hydralic chairs to show young drivers the risks of being behind the wheel.
Station Commander Matthew Hyland, Prevention Manager at BFRS, said: “Young drivers are disproportionally involved in serious road traffic collisions both within Bedfordshire and across the country and we want to help reverse that.
"Our new ‘5 in 5’ video delivers key road safety advice so that young drivers can keep themselves safe, and we know that our Vision VR Van is a fun and engaging way for us to connect with young road users who may not usually be keen on being educated about safe road use. We’ll be reaching out to those driving already, learning to drive or not yet started to learn and know our new ‘5 in 5’ video will help them become the safest drivers they can be.”
LFRS Watch Manager for Road Safety, Kate Garrigan, added: “With this VR experience, we’re not just telling young drivers what could happen – we’re showing them. If this film can help even one person pause before texting while driving, or speak up when a friend is being reckless, then it’s already a success.”
In 2022, 19 per cent of all car driver fatalities across the country were aged 17 to 24, and 24 per cent of all fatalities from collisions involving a car driver involved at least one young driver.
The Vision Van has been on the road for more than a year and plays a pivotal role in Bedfordshire's Road Safety Partnership's mission to reduce road casualties by 50 per cent by 2035. Schools, colleges and other higher education institutions can book a visit from the van.
The team also takes the van into the community, encouraging young people to take part. One visitor, a 16-year-old girl, said: “Some of my male friends like to drive fast, but in future I will have the confidence to say to them that I feel scared and ask them to slow down. If they don’t listen to me, I will tell them that I feel sick and need to get out of the car.”