Emergency services-backed Safe Drive Stay Alive GM has received further funding to run its highly successful road safety campaigns in March and November 2020.
The campaign, now in its sixth year, seeks to engage with young drivers, and those about to start driving, to keep them safe on the roads. Stockport-based coach company, Belle Vue Coaches, has supported the campaign for six years, providing free transport to the events for students from their colleges.
One driver, Kevin, has been working in the Belle Vue driving team for the last six years. He said:
We have 9 active buses here, plus one spare each time we run this event. We bring students from all around Greater Manchester to the morning session. We then take them back to their colleges. After that, we then bring the next set of students over for the afternoon sessions.
“I’d like to think that the benefits of Safe Drive GM are to educate new drivers (who are about to pass, have just passed their test or are fellow passengers) how to drive safely on the roads. We all like to drive safe. We all like other road users to drive safe, as well.”
Leslie Allen, Road Safety Coordinator for GM Fire & Rescue, is part of the team who organise the Safe Drive Stay Alive GM events at Middleton Arena. She said:
This is the sixth year we’ve been running this project in partnership with all the emergency services and Salford Royal Hospital.
“Basically, we invite all of Greater Manchester’s colleges and sports clubs and anywhere where we can attract young people, who are approaching the driving age, to come and watch the performance.
“The aim of the project is really to encourage young people to understand the consequences of risk-taking, both as drivers and as passengers. Also, to think about the small changes they can make, just to keep themselves and friends safe, once they start driving or getting into their friends’ cars.”
Leslie implores institutions not already involved to sign up. She continued:
Just a message to any colleges out there… if you haven’t been to Safe Drive, Stay Alive GM yet, we want the project to grow every year and we can help your students.
“We now have some extra funding to run more sessions in March (2020). We will now be running the Safe Drive, Stay Alive GM project for one week in March 2020 and also for two weeks in November 2020.”