Bedford FRS: Successful first outing for virtual reality ‘Vision’ van

Students from Barnfield College, Luton, became the first young people in Bedfordshire to experience Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue’s newest tool for road safety education, the Vision Van, yesterday (24 April).

Over 100 students came along to an afternoon of presentations from BFRS and Bedfordshire Road Safety Partnership about the key behaviours which can contribute to serious or fatal collisions, have the Vision experience and watch as a volunteer from the college was cut from a car.

This month (April), the road safety campaign #AlwaysConsiderMe has asked drivers to consider other road users, by not breaking the law and committing any of the fatal five - drink and drug driving, not wearing a seatbelt, excessive speed and distracted driving, including mobile phone use.

Vision uses dedicated hydraulic chairs inside the van which allows users to immerse themselves into a virtual reality scenario, to better understand the factors and risks that can lead to a driver being distracted or to lose concentration on the road. 

Sabrina Barry, Head of Enrichment and Wellbeing at Barnfield College, said: “We’re incredibly grateful to the Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service and Luton Road Safety Team for visiting our students to deliver this impactful workshop. Road safety is a very significant matter, and this session was a great opportunity for our young people to be able to learn from the BFRS and Luton Road Safety teams about how to stay safe when on the road.

“The Vision Van presents a unique opportunity to safely see the impact of road traffic collisions, allowing people to understand the repercussions of making unwise decisions when behind the wheel.

“The feedback from our students was overwhelmingly positive and many commented that they now feel more equipped to make positive choices to stay safe when driving or as a passenger.”

Some students who attended spoke highly of the workshop saying: "The VR was cool; it was like you were there."

Another student added that they found the session to be a real eye opener: "Don't go on your phone and don't be silly. Keep your eyes on the road and you'll be safe."

Watch Commander Lee Murphy, from Luton Fire Station who led the event for the fire service, said: “This was a great opportunity to engage with the students, some of who are new drivers or learning to drive, we see first-hand how using a phone while driving can have devastating consequences. It was all about raising awareness to keep these young drivers safe on our roads”.

Schools, colleges and other higher education institutions are now able to book a visit from the team that operates the Vision Van along with other community groups that allow young people to engage with the impactful virtual experience.

According to figures from road safety charity Brake, drivers aged 16-19 are a third more likely to die in a car crash than those aged 40-49, while nearly one in four 18–24-year-olds crash their vehicles within two years of passing their driving test. Young drivers are also found to be at greater risk on the roads due to inexperience and over-confidence. 

The Vision Van is being used as part of Bedfordshire's Road Safety Partnership's mission to reduce road casualties by 50 per cent by 2035. 

To book the Vision Van please go to – Vision VR | Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service (bedsfire.gov.uk)