Game Over launches in Tameside

Tameside Road Safety Unit has launched its Game Over campaign, which is based on the DfT campaign of the same name that conveys the message that traffic is the single biggest killer of 12-16 year-olds.

The bus back campaign launch on 12 July featured young people from Tameside Youth Drama Group. The young actors played out a scene in which they emerged from behind a bus - using mobile phones and sending text messages - into the path of an oncoming car.

The campaign will be running for a 16-week period during which schools close for the summer break and pupils return for the autumn term. The campaign is backed by a Game Over presentation to Year 6/7 pupils in the Borough's schools, which was piloted over the spring and summer terms. The presentation was conceived by assistant RSO Pauline McIntrye after she witnessed a pupil become one of the 20,000+ annual teenage road casualties.

A newspaper report about the incident is shown to pupils, who are then divided into teams representing the various groups and individuals affected by the crash. A representative from each team reports back on their discussions and says who they felt was responsible for the incident.

Teacher feedback has been encouraging and a number of Game Over bookings have been received from schools for the September 2004 intake.

For further information contact Stephen Dickinson on 0161 342 3909 or stephen.dickinson@tameside.gov.uk.