Students get stark lesson in road safety

On Tuesday morning, students of Presentation Secondary School, Mitchelstown and a smattering of CBS students, got a visual show of the realities of what being cut out of a car entails. The demo was done in the carpark of the girls’ school, on a 06 Ford Focus that was on its last legs, donated by Pat Molan’s garage.

Senior cycle and TY students gathered for the demo, organised by Cork County Council, in which fire station officer Bob Dalton calmly but comprehensively talked the students through each step of the process - breaking each window of the car, covering the ‘driver’ (a member of the fire unit in this instance) with a safety blanket, before smashing the windscreen, and removing the doors of the car.

Finally, the entire top of the car was cut off to audible gasps from the onlookers, and removed neatly, much like the top of a boiled egg, to reveal the ‘ victim’ in the driver’s seat who was then placed on a spinal board and removed from the car.

Fire station officer Mr Dalton, explained to onlookers the ‘golden hour’.

“If we can get the person to hospital within one hour their chances of survival are huge. Every hour after that, it goes down.”

He also stressed to future drivers how to deal with an engine fire (absolutely no water), and never to drive into an enclosed area, a driveway, or a garage if there is smoke or fire coming out of the car. He did point out too that better built cars mean that car fires are rare.

“AS LONG AS THE FATHER’S PAYING, IT’S FINE!”

Fifth year students Brina Murray and Ava Fitzgerald spoke to The Avondhu before the demo, and both girls were confident that they felt they would speak up if they didn’t like the way a driver on the road was behaving.

“We need more demonstrations like this. It’s realistic. We’re better at it now (speaking out). We’re more aware, and well able to speak up for ourselves.”

The girls both undertook the theory test module in Presentation, where they practice for the driver theory test, and Brina had already taken - and passed! - hers. The girls are eager to get driving, as getting lifts everywhere is proving ‘a pain’. Living on a farm, Brina has had the opportunity to practice driving, and on the subject of high insurance, well: “As long as the father’s paying, it’s fine!”

After the demo, Stephen Flynn, a CBS student said that what he took from the demonstration was how much work went into removing someone from a car. Also living on a farm, Stephen has the opportunity to get behind the wheel and also drives quads.

“If I felt I was in danger, I’d definitely say it. Because if there’s other people, you have to be responsible.”

BUILDING EXPERIENCE

On hand was Caroline Casey, safety officer with Cork County Council, who acknowledged that the demo might be hard watching, but stressed “it’s your life, and it’s your choice”.

“I spoke to the students about their behaviour in a car, and particularly about personal responsibility for your own life. We spoke too about driver distraction, and particularly that when you are a learner or rookie driver, that you stick to roads you know, and build up your experience.”

In Cork county, there were eight road fatalities in 2021, compared to 22 in 2020. Tipperary saw 10 fatalities, while Limerick saw six - an increase of three and one, respectively.

However, in a meeting by Cork County Council in November where the Cork numbers were presented, Chief Superintendent Con Cadogan pointed out that traffic levels were lower than normal in 2021, and that collisions were in fact up in number, so driver behaviour still needs improvement.

In 2021, even though the number of road fatalities was the lowest since records began in 1952 at 130, 3 out of every 4 road deaths were men.

Students had an ‘opt-out’ of the demonstration, to allow for any pupils who were personally affected by what was being shown.

The demonstrations are taking place at schools across the county, and are organised by Cork County Council.