New ‘Fire Car’ will engage young drivers
Essex Fire & Rescue Service has a new eye-catching and stylish resource to help engage with young drivers, thanks to the generosity of the regional car dealership Essex Audi Group.
The service’s Road Traffic Collision (RTC) Reduction team has taken delivery of a new Fire Car, kindly donated by Essex Audi*.
Fire Car is one of the ways that Essex Fire and Rescue Service helps spread road safety messages and advice throughout the county.
Assistant Chief Fire Officer Paul Hill, said: “Partnering with Audi is a wonderful opportunity to work with like-minded people who want to help protect our local communities.
“This new Audi S3 Fire Car will help Essex Fire and Rescue Service and our partners in the Safer Essex Roads Partnership deliver important road safety messages to young drivers. Together we can help to save lives, prevent injury and reduce risks.”
Darren Thompson, Head of Business at Chelmsford Audi, said: “We are pleased to be working with Essex Fire & Rescue Service on this fantastic initiative. We had no hesitation in agreeing to supply the iconic Audi S3 to assist in reducing accidents and increasing road safety.
“Essex Audi is always keen to support community projects; this one being outstanding and close to our hearts.”
The new Audi S3 will be used to help the RTC team engage with young drivers, and in particular modified car enthusiasts who will be attracted by the vehicle’s striking appearance.
The car will attend events where there are large gatherings of people with modified cars, as well as other events that attract young drivers.
While the majority of modified car enthusiasts drive responsibly, a recent ‘cruise’ in Tilbury highlighted the dangers these events can pose to participants and spectators.
More than 500 modified vehicles and between 300-400 spectators attended the event, at which a modified VW Golf entered a roundabout far in excess of the speed limit and crashed into a lamppost before coming to rest in the middle of the road.
By an amazing stroke of good fortune, the deflection off the lamppost diverted the VW away from the spectators, thereby avoiding a catastrophic incident which would almost certainly have resulted in death and/or serious injury.
Essex Fire Service also has a number of Fire Bikes which are used to engage with the county’s motorcyclists on a range of safer riding and related issues.
*Essex Audi Group
Essex Audi Group has grown to become the leading location for Audi vehicle sales and servicing across Essex, Hertfordshire and London, with dealerships in Colchester, Chelmsford, Chingford, Harold Wood, Rayleigh Weir and Bishops Stortford.