Balfour Beatty visits schools to raise awareness about drink and drug driving.  

Balfour Beatty Plant & Fleet Services, who provide a wide range of vehicles, plant and engineering services, is lending support to national Road Safety Week (November 23 - 29), coordinated by Brake, the national road safety charity.

The company, who are based in Derby, will visit five secondary schools and colleges in the Derby region to promote key road safety messages. Working with young people, aged 15 to 18, staff will be delivering interactive presentations that will raise awareness about the dangers of drink and drug driving.

As part of Balfour Beatty Plant & Fleet Services’ commitment to national Road Safety Week, they are working with Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service who will also be attending West Park School, Spondon, Derby, on Monday 23rd November to stage a car crash extrication.
Fire officers attending the event will explain to young people the consequences of dangerous driving and the types of risky behaviour that often leads to death and injury including speeding, overtaking dangerously and not wearing seat-belts.

Road crashes are the biggest killer of 15-24 year-olds. One in eight car licence holders are aged under 25, yet one in three drivers who die on UK roads are under 25, often driving too fast, drunk, drugged and without seat belts. Every week 14 young people aged 15-24 are killed on Britain’s roads, the equivalent of a football team and substitutes each week.

Katie Shephard, spokesperson for Brake, says, “Balfour Beatty Plant & Fleet Services’ commitment to educating young people about the dangers of road crashes is exemplary. This age group’s inexperience and risk taking makes them most likely to be responsible for killing or injuring others on the road so Brake is delighted to see a company taking a responsible attitude to helping educate them to help keep them safe.

Mike Brown, Fleet Services Director, Balfour Beatty Plant & Fleet Services says “Balfour Beatty Plant & Fleet Services’ is delighted to support Brake in their crucial campaign to educate drivers about the dangers of drink and drug driving during national RSW again this year.

Young people can go to www.2young2die.org.uk an interactive website by Brake for young drivers and passengers.

Brake is also offering fun opportunities for people to fundraise for the charity’s vital work supporting families bereaved and injured in road crashes. You can do a range of activities, from abseiling to a coffee morning or a sponsored buggy push! Call Lisa on 01484 683 294 or email lkendall@brake.org.uk.

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