PEOPLE in Enniskillen will have the opportunity to experience the effects of a road crash in a new car crash simulator which comes to the Diamond tomorrow (Tuesday).

One of only a handful in use across the UK, the simulator will be in the town centre from 11am to 2.30pm.

It is part of an ongoing road safety programme by Autoline Insurance Group.

The car, a specially modified Ford Focus, comes with hi-tech equipment that simulates a car crash. It uses a high quality sound system, hydraulics, smoke and lights to recreate a true incident which resulted in multiple fatalities and a prison sentence for the 17-year old driver.

Richard Henderson, Manager of Autoline’s Enniskillen office said: “Autoline has been Northern Ireland’s corporate ambassador for the road safety charity Brake for three years. Since then more than 2,000 young people have taken part in our ‘2 Young 2 Die’ workshop across Northern Ireland which aims to reduce the number of deaths and injuries on local roads. We’ve now commissioned a new car crash simulator to help drive home the grim reality of careless driving.

"People will have the opportunity to experience the harrowing effects of a crash. We hope that it will impress upon local drivers that just a few seconds of carelessness behind the wheel can ruin a lifetime.”

In 2014 79 people were killed on Northern Ireland’s roads, a worrying 38% increase on the year before. So far this year 63 people have been killed, six from the local council area and a third of whom were aged under 25-years.

As part of its road safety campaign, Autoline has also recently launched ChilliDrive, a sophisticated telematics app that turns smart phones into an in-car ‘mentor’ that accurately measures driving skills by analysing speed, acceleration, braking and cornering. Safe drivers are rewarded through lower premiums.

Autoline’s car crash simulator seats four people and the experience lasts ten minutes, providing a sobering and vivid insight into the impact of dangerous driving.

For further information about how your school or organisation can participate in an Autoline’s road safety programme contact Suzanne Curtis at Autoline Insurance Group on 028 302 59178.