Young drivers will get to witness a live car crash as part of a campaign to highlight the dangers of rural roads.
The drivers are to be educated on the impact of road collisions after concerns were raised by residents of north east Fife communities over the worrying number of accidents in the area.
A report to be shown to Fife Council’s safer communities committee this week will state that crashes on Fife’s roads where someone was injured fell to a record low last year.
However, Fife Community Safety Partnership warned that in north east Fife accidents have become more prevalent because of the amount of rural and single-carriageway roads.
In February last year an 18-year-old driver lost his life in an accident near Hangmans Lane, west of Cupar. That same month, a 23-year-old female passenger was killed in another accident on the A916, near Union Farm, south of Craigrothie.
Young drivers in Fife aged 17 to 25 account for just over 12% of licence holders, but are linked to 22% of road traffic collisions and 27% of fatal road traffic collisions on Fife’s roads.
The Cut It Out event will be an interactive event led by Fife Community Safety Partnership. It is geared towards both young drivers and passengers but all are welcome to attend.
There will be a live demonstration of a car crash, showing the physical impact of a road traffic accident and the procedures undertaken by the emergency services. There will also be interactive stalls including a driving simulator and seatbelt sled.
Fife Community Safety Partnership road safety organiser Gillian Kelly said: “The issue was raised at a Cupar community meeting, that there was an issue with young drivers being involved with accidents in the north east Fife area in particular.
“It was decided by Chief Inspector Jill Harper, who was in charge of community policing in north east Fife, that we needed a campaign to look at and help the young drivers, and to put together an event that would show how to try and combat the accidents.”
The event will take place on Friday May 2 in Fluthers Car Park, Cupar, between 7pm and 9pm.