Working to save lives
Niall said: ‘Garda Tom Bolger always gives an indepth talk to the students which really affects them. He often says “the worst thing is if it is silent when coming across a crash because that is when you know it is bad, but if you hear crying or screaming it is more than likely a broken bone,” which really gets to the students.’
Niall said Dr Paul Kelly, A&E consultant at Wexford Hospital, emphasises the stark realities and often-tragic results of inappropriate driving behaviours. Students are told that many of them will be involved in a serious accident at some stage in their lives, and that they may kill or be killed while in a vehicle on the roads.
‘It provides much needed food-for-thought for these drivers of the future, and seeks to influence the choices they will make as young drivers, in the age group accepted as being most at risk of having a serious traffic collision.
‘We have ten sessions every year with the students from 20 different local schools, and every year these people are there helping us, talking to the students about what they have seen. Even though Rotary are the face, they are not given any credit,’ said Niall.
Niall decided to acknowledge Garda Bolger and Dr Kelly as they have been very involved in the Just One Life programme for years and they do it without asking.
‘We have been doing this now for 11 years and it creates awareness for the kids. I wish I could give them more because since starting this programme we have saved a lot of lives,’ he said.
Since the Wexford launch of the programme, Just One Life has been adopted by other Rotary Clubs around the country.
Niall said: ‘ The Just One Life programme was the first of its kind in Wexford and the first in Ireland. A family of Rotarians in Australia started it all. One night their kids went out for the night and police called around in the early hours of the morning to tell them they had died in a car crash, so it went from there.’
The programme is staged in the Omniplex in Wexford on the big screens and has an incredible impact on the students.
‘One teacher who has been with the programme from the start said he had been teaching for 27 years and had been to 23 pupil funerals.
‘Since his students have been involved in the Just One Life programme, he has not been to one,’ said Niall.