Firefighters road safety events spearheaded by young man who lost both legs and woman left with permanent scars from crashes

In its 19th year, the Safe Drive Stay Alive events will reach more than 23,000 young people from schools and colleges across Hampshire and Thames Valley, highlighting the harrowing consequences of road collisions.

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The number of young drivers who are killed or seriously injured is disproportionately high. On average, one in four deaths on the road are drivers aged between 17 and 24.

Speaking at this year’s event will be a young woman who has been left with permanent scars and life-changing injuries as the result of a collision. She will be joined by a young man who has lost both of his legs in the fire which engulfed his car following a crash.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service firefighter, James Woods, said: ‘We want to highlight the reality of road traffic collisions and the far-reaching and long-lasting consequences that these incidents can have.’