A new road safety workshop, aimed at rural young people, is being launched during by The National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs (NFYFC).

More than half of fatal crashes in Britain occur on rural roads, according to the road safety charity Brake.

To coincide with Road Safety Week, which runs from November 19 to 25, NFYFC is hoping the Drive it Home workshop will help to reduce the number of incidents on rural roads.

The awareness session, which has been developed with Leicestershire and Rutland’s Rural Policing Team and Leicestershire County Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs (FYFC) with input from Leicestershire Fire Service, focuses on the four main causes of people being killed or seriously injured on roads.

The Northern Farmer: Young farmers are promoting a new safety workshop

Known by the emergency services as the Fatal Four, they include inappropriate speed, not wearing a seatbelt, driving while distracted, and drink and drug driving.

Drive it Home, which can be delivered during a club meeting and lasts around one and a half hours, was originally launched in 2012 as part of a YFC rural road safety campaign. More than ten years on, the module has now been renewed to address the key issues facing rural road users today.

The module, which is suitable for ten-to-28 year olds, helps young people think about the preparations needed for driving. It includes an interactive exercise about the items people should keep in their car, such as a first aid kit, a warning triangle, and a blanket.

The course also gives guidance to young people on what to do if they are first on the scene of a road traffic incident.

NFYFC chair of council Rosie Bennett said: “This course could be a life-saver and we’re urging all YFCs to include the Drive it Home module on their club programmes, as it’s an issue that affects everyone living in rural communities.

“NFYFC is grateful for the support of the Leicestershire Rural Police Team and Leicestershire County Federation of YFC in developing this course. I hope it has an impact on YFC members and encourages safer driving on rural roads.”

Leicestershire Police officer Rob Cross, who is also the current vice president of Leicestershire & Rutland YFC and a former county chair, worked with the county to re-develop the course.

“I am proud to have helped develop this course with Leicestershire and Rutland Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs, which I hope will be a prevention tool and stop rural young people from becoming a statistic," he said.

“I’d much rather be involved in talking to YFCs than having to pick up the pieces of a fatal road traffic collision and speaking to their bereaved family and friends.

“The fatal four are a big issue for us on rural roads across the UK and I hope this course will help young people make some informed decisions.”

See https://www.nfyfc.org.uk/the-curve-drive-it-home for more information.