SWFRS Embraces Virtual Reality To Raise Awareness Of Road Safety

Since April 2015, South Wales Fire and Rescue Service (SWFRS) has attended over 1,890 road traffic collisions (RTCs), where there have been 39 fatalities and 867 rescues with injuries. The Service will be embracing virtual reality (VR) technology to raise awareness of the dangers on our roads and the ‘Fatal 5’, with a focus on using a mobile while driving. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

SWFRS has found that 22% of its RTCs in the last 18 months have been between the hours of 3pm and 5:59pm, with 246 of those incidents taking place on ‘A’ roads. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The 360o VR video gives drivers the ‘most realistic experience’ of a road traffic collision from the front seat passenger’s perspective, with users experiencing a full crash scene extrication. The technology incorporates 360o filming and is designed to show drivers the dangers of the roads and what can happen if things go wrong, especially when being distracted and using a mobile phone while driving. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Shaun Moody, Head of Road Safety at South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said, “We need to do all we can to reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured on our roads by engaging, informing and reminding them of the consequences of using a mobile phone while driving, as well as raising awareness about using inappropriate speed, driving under the influence and not wearing a seatbelt. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Careless driving not only has the potential to cause life changing circumstances for the driver or their passengers, but also passersby and other road users. By using new technology like the VR headsets we are ensuring the Service is keeping up with how our communities, especially younger drivers, are engaging and consuming safety messages. I’m looking forward to seeing how our communities react over the coming days, weeks and months.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The campaign and the headsets will be officially launched on Monday 21st November 2016 as part of the national Brake Road Safety Week, where SWFRS will also be asking drivers to ‘make the pledge’ to become safer drivers. The launch will highlight the ‘Fatal 5’ or the five biggest driving dangers: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

• Inappropriate speed
• Using a mobile phone
• Not wearing a seatbelt
• Driving under the influence of drink or drugs
• Careless driving ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​