Michelin driving road safety message into local schools

Students at Northern Regional College, Ballymena campus, will get the opportunity to learn safer driving techniques as part of a four-day visit to the campus by Michelin’s driving simulator.

The simulator and a Michelin team will attend the college from 1pm to 5pm each day this week until March 15.

Provided as part of Michelin’s ROSYPE (the European Commission’s Road Safety For Young People in Europe) project, the simulator is used to highlight the importance of having correctly inflated tyres.

Drivers experience how relatively easy it is to avoid obstacles, such as cars failing to stop at crossroads, cyclists and trucks changing lanes at the last minute, when their tyres are inflated at the correct pressure.

Halfway through the driving simulation the rear tyres lose pressure and the driver experiences how much more difficult it is to avoid the obstacles. By deploying safer driving techniques such as being alert, respecting speed limits, controlling the car, anticipating dangers and avoiding sudden manoeuvres, drivers increase their chances of completing the route without crashing.

Later in the week, Michelin’s road safety puppets - the company responsible for the puppets featured in recent years on popular BBC show Dragon’s Den - will visit two local schools.

Using live puppetry, films, thought provoking exercises, quizzes and role play, this aspect of the road safety roadshow will visit Ballymena Academy on Wednesday, March 14, with the session taking place between 9.30am and 11am.

On Thursday, March 15, the roadshow will move on to St Patrick’s College with their session taking place between 10am and 11.30am.

The project is funded from a grant secured by Michelin from ROSYPE and builds on from an initiative launched last year in Staffordshire. It will be the first time the roadshow has visited Ballymena and alongside the road safety event, pupils will also receive an internet-based road safety educational tool kit.

Corinne Li, Michelin’s ROSYPE Project Leader, said: “With Michelin’s core business being related to transport, road safety is a natural choice and we look forward to delivering this important message to young people. The roadshow will engage with the students in a fun, positive and educational way and in-turn will hopefully have a positive impact on their behaviour.”