On the 1 October, TY students travelled to Rockwell College for the Garda Road Safety Course, under the supervision of Mr. Curtin.
The aim of this annual course held by Na Gardaí Síochána is to educate the next generation of young drivers on what are the dangers on the road that cause accidents, what can happen as a result of these factors, and how to remedy these problems through education and awareness.
Events on the day included; a discussion on common hazards resulting from the improper modification of vehicles, a brief talk from a survivor of a Road Traffic Collision and a talk about the work of a Forensic Collision Investigator, a discussion titled ‘It will never happen me’!! This outlined common things that people do on a regular basis that put them at risk. We also learned that high speed alone is a false conception of the real danger.
The day finished with a demonstrative roll car that simulates what happens when a car turns over, and interactive equipment that tests your road knowledge and virtual simulators of cars and motorbikes that got you to practise good conduct on the roads. It all gave us a very different perspective of road safety.
Some TY students said: ‘I got to experience being stuck in an overturning car, and it was unusually scary!’ and ‘It was quite an interesting seminar and shows importance of being safe on the road’.
By Cormac Cummins and Will Collins
