STUDENTS across North Wales have been getting a hard-hitting lesson in road safety.

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service has joined forces with The Welsh Ambulance Service and North Wales Police for an education tour of colleges across the region.

The partnership is designed to teach youngsters about the dangers of the 'Fatal Five' - excessive speed, anti-social driving, no seatbelts, drink or drug-driving and using a mobile phone whilst driving.

Emergency service partners are hoping to reach more youngsters than ever in the run-up to Road Safety Week (November 18-24).

The Deadly Impacts Roadshow was launched at Coleg Cambria in Wrexham, where paramedic Dermot O' Leary gave a graphic account of what happens to the human body in a collision.

He said: "I explain what injuries they could suffer in a collision, the damage inflicted on the body and the clinical skills I would use to ultimately try and save their life. These young adults deserve a future and I don't beat around the bush when I tell them what could go wrong while driving."

Rhyl-based Dermot added: "Road collisions are sudden tragic events which can send shockwaves through families, friends and communities. Making young adults aware of the danger on the roads might mean less incidents for us where we literally have to pick up the pieces."

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service used video clips and audience participation to try and educate students.

Community safety team leader, Sharon Bouckley, said: "The Deadly Impacts Roadshow is designed to deliver hard-hitting messages to young drivers by making them aware of their responsibilities on the road, and the potentially fatal consequences of speeding or not paying attention while driving.

"We as a fire and rescue service attend a high number of road traffic collisions involving young people - and we are doing all that we can to educate our youngsters and drive down the number of tragedies on our roads."

North Wales Police warned of the consequences of being responsible for a collision, including penalty points on your licence and even prison.

Inspector Martin Best from North Wales Police' Roads Policing Unit said: "Multi-agency road safety events have proved to be an excellent way of getting people to think about the consequences of their driving, and by working in partnership, we want to get across to young drivers messages such as the dangers of not wearing a seatbelt, driving too fast and using mobile phones.

He added: "The practical demonstrations of realistic events, coupled with presentations from all partners has hopefully brought home some of the realities and we hope that many of the young people have taken this on board."

Emergency service partners will also visit colleges in Deeside and Northop, as well as Glynllifon, Dolgellau, Pwllheli, Llandrillo, Llangefni and Bangor in the run-up to Road Safety Week, which is co-ordinated annually by road safety charity Brake.