Beds FRS uses virtual reality to educate young drivers on road safety

BFRS uses virtual reality to educate young drivers on road safety

Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue (BFRS) is utilising virtual reality (VR) to transform road safety education for young people across Bedfordshire. The new Vision Van, which hit the road running in April 2024, provides users with an immersive experience.

Vision utilises virtual reality films and dedicated hydraulic chairs to have an immersive experience. It enables users to better understand the factors and risks that can lead to a driver being distracted or to lose concentration on the road.

Vision is the brainchild of Steve Fowler, Station Commander Prevention, who had seen the impact of a similar van used by Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service in its road safety campaigns.

Steve said: “I saw Leicestershire’s van at a national road safety event and I was impressed with how this would be a positive way to engage with young drivers. I wanted to develop something similar for Bedfordshire as we are called to far too many incidents where younger drivers have either been injured or have caused harm to others because of making unwise decisions behind the wheel.

“The Vision van is a great way of showing drivers how their actions can result in life-changing consequences in an innovative and fun way.”

Vision is funded jointly by the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) and BFRS.

Phil McCarthy, Bedfordshire Road Safety Partnership Manager, added: “Having experienced the van for myself, I can testify to its effectiveness in encouraging users to think twice about their driving habits going forward. 

“Being able to offer an immersive learning experience to deliver road safety education at schools and events in Bedfordshire is very exciting for the Partnership, and ties in excellently to the key objectives for education and prevention outlined in the Bedfordshire Road Safety Partnership strategy.”

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.