Theatre company relaunches DriveTime

StopWatch Theatre Company, producers of the long-running road safety programme Why did the Chicken Cross the Road? has relaunched DriveTime, a road safety initiative aimed at young people in the 14-16 years age range. The programme has been around for several years but director Steven Pearce says that the new version contains important changes.

"The danger of driving under the influence of drugs is seen as a vital issue to address with young people," says Steven Pearce. "DriveTime always contained some references to drug misuse but following feedback from RSOs we have now adapted both the script and the workshop to make this a more prominent theme. We believe that prevention is better than cure, which is why we are targeting the pre-driver age group. This group is also uniquely at risk as passengers in cars driven by drug users.  

"The play's message is that drugs and driving don't mix, and it also raises awareness of the penalties associated with drug use, of which many young people are surprisingly ignorant," he adds.

The play, which is 40 minutes long, is accompanied by a fully interactive workshop. "Since StopWatch began working in the road safety field 12 years ago we have always prided ourselves on delivering a genuinely interactive learning experience," says Pearce. "Young people learn best as participants rather than spectators. The DriveTime workshop gives them the chance to develop their own thinking on drugs and driving."

The current DriveTime tour kicks off on 27 September. Any road safety team interested in viewing the production in school is invited to contact the company directly for further details, drivetime@stopwatchtheatre.com, 0870 2430154.