AN ANNUAL event aimed at teaching safe driving among teenagers in Forth Valley was re-launched this week.

The Safe Drive, Stay Alive campaign puts on a stage theatre show for high school pupils across Clackmannanshire, Stirling and Falkirk to educate them on the risks of driving dangerously.

The campaign features real life stories from people who have been injured driving or have lost loved ones in road traffic accidents.

Aimed at pupils from S4-S6 who are approaching driving age, the theatre show was performed for the first time this year on Monday, February 5 at the Macrobert Arts Centre in Stirling.

Alan Faulds, who organises the show each year, told the Advertiser of the importance of the event and how impactful it is to those watching.

He said: “We started this project 16 years ago for young people who were getting ready to drive about how dangerous a car can be if they don’t treat it with respect.

“Young people are disproportionately more likely to be killed on the roads than any other age group due to their risk-taking behaviour.

“We started back in 2008 and each year, we do a theatre show based on a real incident that I attended back when I was a firefighter.

“We have people from the police, ambulance service, the fire brigade and NHS nurses who go on stage and describe our roles in the incident.

“Lastly, we have a couple of real life families of people who have been involved in road traffic incidents and they discuss how their lives have changed.

“That’s quite emotive when we hear their stories and we aim to highlight the dangers of not treating a car responsibly.”

The show has been put on for school pupils across Forth Valley each year, with the only exceptions being during the Covid lockdowns.

Throughout the course of four days this week, the campaign aims to host more than 3,700 school pupils across Forth Valley.

Among the attendees of the first show this week was Tory MSP Alexander Stewart, who has been a staunch campaigner of the show for nearly 10 years.

He added: “I was absolutely delighted to have met again with everyone involved, these performances never lose their poignancy and are a stark reminder to all of the consequences of reckless, careless or dangerous driving.”

The show will be running for school pupils throughout this week, culminating on Thursday afternoon.