More than 5,000 drivers aged 17 to 24 were involved in car crashes in Kent* between 2005 and 2007.

During the same three years 53 young people died and nearly 500 were seriously injured on the county’s roads.

This November Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) is taking a “gloves off” approach to raising awareness among young drivers with a hard hitting poster campaign.

The image of a young woman being zipped into a body bag might be too graphic for some but KFRS believes it’s what’s needed to drive the message home.

Kent’s Chief Fire Officer Bill Feeley said: “We understand how exciting it can be to get your driving licence and your own car, or to borrow your parents’ car.

“There are two ways to learn to drive safely. One is by learning from the mistakes of others. The other really difficult way to learn is to be involved in an accident yourself.

“You can be a good driver and a safe driver and that doesn’t mean driving while using your mobile phone or under the influence of drink or drugs.”

Road Safety Week

KM Group has teamed up with KFRS to help get the message across to young drivers.

Throughout Road Safety Week (November 10 - 16) www.kentonline.co.uk will be featuring the stories of young people who have been killed or injured on Kent’s roads.

We’ll be talking to firefighters who attend accidents and looking at how this month’s poster campaign is part of an on-going education programme to reduce the number of young people who die, or who are injured in crashes in the county.

Road Victim Awareness Day

Sunday, November 16 is Road Victim Awareness Day. If you have lost someone you loved in a car crash in Kent, and wish to pay tribute to them, send us a picture of the person, along with their name and age, and the place and date of the accident in which they died. We will then publish these pictures on KentOnline on November 16.

You can do this by emailing editor.kentonline@thekmgroup.co.uk, typing Road Victim Awareness Day into the subject box.

Alternatively you can post the picture and details, along with a contact phone number for yourself, to Road Victim Awareness Day, KentOnline, KM Group, Ginsbury Close, Sir Thomas Longley Road, Medway City Estate, ME2 4DU. Please include a stamped addressed envelope if you would like the picture returned.