A ROAD safety event could help to steer young people towards the straight and narrow in their motoring lives.

Durham Police is playing host to about 400 would-be motorists in the eight-day Wise Drive - Drive for Life initiative, at the force's headquarters, in Aykley Heads, Durham City.

Targeting 16-year-olds, who may be about to begin driving lessons in the coming year, it aims to prevent them becoming road casualty victims.

Parties from schools across the county will watch video footage of the aftermath of fatal road accidents, following a detailed introduction about the type of incidents ambulance paramedics have attended, as well as experiencing being cut from a car wreck by firefighters.

Sitting in a simulator, overseen by British School of Motoring (BSM) instructors, the young drivers are also getting the feel of being behind the wheel.

Durham road casualty reduction officer, PC Dave Nixon, said the young people invited to Wise Drive are potentially only months from becoming licence holders, and therefore, the most vulnerable of road users.

"Our aim is to prevent them becoming road casualties by getting the safety message across to them before they have a chance to develop bad driving habits," he said.

"Once they see the film showing the full horror of road crashes, they then take part in a number of activities intended to ensure it never happens to them."