ROAD safety has been given the green light at an event for students in Worcester.

The Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service joined the Safer Roads Partnership at a Freshers Fayre at Worcester’s Guildhall to highlight road safety to the new intake of students from Worcester College of Technology.

Watch Manager Darren Packwood from the Community Safety Team said: “Assisting at road traffic collisions is an important part of a firefighter’s job, and students were surprised to learn that Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service attend more collisions than they do fires.

“With this in mind, we decided to join our colleagues at the Safer Roads Partnership in West Mercia to promote safer driving at this year’s Freshers Fayre, targetting those who are learning to drive or who have only recently passed their test.”

The Community Safety Team explained to new students how devastating excess speed, driving under the influence of drink or drugs or showing off to friends can be, and how a momentary distraction from a mobile phone or iPod can prove so dangerous.

Mr Packwood added: “The students we spoke to today were very receptive and we hope that they will recall our advice when they get behind the wheel of a car themselves or accept a lift from another young driver.”