Students ‘witness' horrific car crash

AN Garda Siochana, the HSE National Ambulance Service, the Fire Service and the Red Cross organised a traffic collision simulation exercise in Bandon recently.

Approximately 300 Transition Year students from the four secondary schools in the town – St Brogan’s College, Hamilton High School, Bandon Grammar School and Colaiste na Toirbhirte – attended the exercise.

With the assistance of local gardaí, the main N71 Bandon to Clonakilty road was closed at Old Chapel for a period, and traffic diversions were put in place. A two-car collision resulting in serious injury and a fatality was simulated. 

Volunteers from the Bandon branch of the Irish Red Cross played the part of crash participants. On completion of the simulation, speakers from the emergency services addressed the students, so that the students were informed of what action had been taken by the emergency services at each stage, and why.

‘This simulation is of great benefit to these future drivers, as it demonstrates the harsh realities of what exactly is involved in a traffic collision,’ said a garda spokesman.