"I was there when two people died." With these moving words, a first aider describes his experience right at the beginning of the "Crash Course NRW" when he happened to pass an accident scene at night, got out and acted immediately. But for the two young people who had previously crashed their car into a tree, all help had already come too late. They still had their whole lives ahead of them, but in one fell swoop it was over due to the serious traffic accident. He shakes the audience awake: "Nothing will happen to me anyway - you can forget it! It can happen to any of you. Please get out of the car if you're riding with someone after a party and have doubts about arriving home safely."
"Experience reality. Really tough." - This was the motto of the recent Crash Course NRW traffic accident prevention program with the Lippe police. Around 300 young people from Detmold's secondary schools took part in the event in Detmold town hall. The aim of the campaign is to sensitize them all to drive carefully at all times in order to avoid accidents. After all, young drivers in particular are regularly injured in road accidents - sometimes seriously. In almost all cases, road accidents don't just happen, but are caused by disregarding the rules. Consuming alcohol or drugs, driving too fast, not wearing a seatbelt or being distracted by a cell phone - in more than 50 percent of all cases, these are the reasons why people die or suffer serious injuries on the roads.
The difficult work directly at the scene of an accident is a tough everyday job for many people: Firefighters, police, paramedics, emergency doctors, emergency chaplains and also the people who rush to provide first aid. But what goes through the mind of a firefighter who has to rescue a seriously injured person from the wreckage of an accident? What goes through the mind of a police officer or emergency chaplain when they have to face parents and tell them that their beloved child has been killed in an accident?
In the road safety project "Crash Course NRW", which was launched by the NRW police back in 2011 and is scientifically supported by the University of Cologne, all of these emergency services report to the pupils up close and unsparingly about their personal experiences at the scene of an accident and show chilling images that will be remembered forever. They are all professionals in their profession, know exactly what to do in such an operation, and yet they are also people with their own families. When someone is so badly injured that they can no longer be helped, it leaves no one cold.
A retired police chief superintendent tells the audience that even after many years, he is still very much under the impression of what happened when a young driver at the scene of an accident could no longer be saved. And it is particularly close to his heart to talk about it and make young people aware of the dangers: "Take good care of yourselves and please always drive carefully! Prepare yourselves sensibly for the worst-case scenario and take a first aid course."
During the speeches, there was silence and deep consternation in the Detmold town hall. Some of the young participants leave the room in dismay and cry. They are looked after by counselors and police officers and are not left alone in this emotional situation. Experiencing reality: Really tough, but also really important!"
The positive feedback from the young people following the event confirms exactly that. "It was very impressive to watch all these live reports on stage. It really makes you think," reported one pupil, for example. If you would like to find out more about the "Crash Course NRW" project, find out more here.
The next dates:
- 29. February 29, 2024 / Stadthalle Detmold
Note on your own behalf:
If you have been involved in a serious traffic accident, either professionally or privately, and are willing to tell young people about it as part of the "Crash Course NRW", please contact the Lippe police (phone: 05231 6090). We are grateful for all those who support us in this important project.
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