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It's a Friday night.

Sarah's getting changed into a little black dress and red stiletto heels, eagerly awaiting her boyfriend's 18th. She's going to drink and dance the night away. Then she's going to crash 80mph into a tree.

John's had a hard week at the office. He's looking forward to a night out with the lads. Things are going to start off well at the pub. Then he's going to miss a bend and slam into the sidewalk.

Sam is 12 and is walking back from football practice with a friend. They've played some good games and Sam's scored three goals. Now he's minutes away from being hit by car which ran a red light.

Someone's father, someone's mother, someone's sister, someone's brother. We're only too familiar with road accident reports, but rarely are we made aware of the personal side. The lives lost mash into a sequence of statistics, a sign on a lamppost indicating the number of lives lost last year, this year next year?

Though such figures are alarming, they can't evoke the emotion that an account of personal tragedy is able to.

Upon listening to accounts of personal experience and loss, it was only then I realised the sheer magnitude and impact that road accidents are having on our society. Each statistic represents one person, and for each person, there are countless people that they have left behind. People that have to live with a loved ones demise, people that have to pick up the pieces, people that have to face the inevitable - moving on.

Wearing a seatbelt, refraining from the fast lane, restraining from a drink before a drive -these shouldn't be so hard or so easily abused. A simple error, a single mistake and a seemingly small risk can result in a life sentence of sorrow, remorse and regret.

It's your Friday night. Play it right. Safe drive. Stay alive.

For more information log on to surrey-fire.gov.uk/safedrive

9:50am Tuesday 20th November 2007

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