CPC students shown results of car crashes
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| File picture: Emergency services dealing with crash at Kilcullen in 2013; three were injured. |
The event, 'The One Life', was held in the Odeon Cinema, and speakers from the Kildare Fire Service, An Garda Siochana and an emergency consultant from Naas General Hospital demonstrated how even a second’s lapse of judgement can cause fatal accidents. Each spoke about the accidents they responded to, how they affected them and the friends and family of the victim, and emphasised how important road safety is.
The speaker from the Fire Service shown us images from road accidents he had attended. These really showed just how devastating a road accident can be, and how badly cars were damaged left us to only imagine how severely injured the passengers of the vehicles must have been. Many who do survive tragic accidents are left with life-changing injuries. The speaker told of how the accidents affect the fire service members and outlined the services they have in place to help them cope.
The Garda spoke of how traveling just 10km under the speed limited can be the difference between life and death for a pedestrian hit by a car. He said all passengers of the car must wear a seat belt and showed footage of what can happen when even one person isn’t. He also advised us to always adjust the head rest to suit our head heights, to restrain pets by either buckling them into a seat or placing them in the boot of the car — and to simply not to get in the vehicle if we do not trust the driver. He reinforced the key elements of safe driving: wear a seat belt, don’t drink and drive, don’t use your phone while driving, don’t apply makeup when driving, and limit your distractions.
The consultant from Naas General Hospital’s emergency department told of how the injuries affected the victims and their families for the rest of their lives. He spoke of how difficult it is to tell families he can’t save their loved ones. He told of the horrific injuries he’s seen over the years and how people never really recover from road traffic accidents. These were all true life stories and really showed the damage that can be caused by an accident on the road.
This event really hit home just how seriously driving should be taken, especially coming into the winter months, and that everyone on the road has a responsibility to make sure it is safe.
