Hundreds of students from secondary schools around Galway City and County attended a ‘Lifesaver Project’ event in Salthill this week.

The hard-hitting and realistic road safety presentation highlighted the devastating effects that road traffic collisions have on people’s lives.

Held in Leisureland on Tuesday, the Transition Year students witnessed a reconstruction of a crash scene — complete with overturned car and emergency personnel cutting a patient from a vehicle.

Schools which took part in the event included St Joseph’s (The Bish), Coláiste Muire Máthair, St Enda’s, Salerno, Dominican College, Coláiste Baile Chláir, Merlin College and Coláiste Cholmcille.

Gardaí, Galway Fire and Rescue Service and Ambulance Service personnel were all involved on the day, which included a talk on his experiences with crash victims by Professor John O’Donnell, Consultant in Emergency Medicine at University Hospital Galway.

The two-hour programme of interactive engagement with the audience was supported by video inserts and personal experiences of road traffic collision victims and/or their families.

The programme delivers a strong road safety message that everyone needs to hear and help address the current rising death and serious injury collision on our roads.

The presentation was put together by frontline personnel who have been dealing with these issues for over 20 years.

It included ads from around the world that highlight the devastation that these collisions have on both the individual that was involved and also on the families of those that have been affected.

There were personal stories from a mother who has buried her two sons and a father who was left with life changing injuries.

All of these stories are aimed and changing the attitude of the person at the presentation. These ads and personal stories, mixed with the experiences of the Gardaí giving the presentation, all contribute to the experience.

Pictured: The scene at the car accident re-enactment by emergency services, Gardaí, Fire Brigade and Ambulance crew, during the ‘Lifesaver Project’ event, watched by a large number of Transition Year (TY) students on the grounds of Leisureland. Photo: Joe O’Shaughnessy.