STUDENTS from two Wyre Forest schools will be shown the dangers of fast driving in a special session being run by Worcestershire County Council.

The county council's road safety team will put the Baxter College and Stourport High School students into the hot seats of two race-prepared cars belonging to Anglo/American Racing on Friday, (March 14) at Throckmorton Airfield, near Pershore.

The scheme, funded by the Department for Transport (DfT), aims to educate young people on the basic fundamentals of driving at speed, in a bid to make them think twice before driving dangerously when they are older.

The DfT has identified Oldington and Foley Park in Kidderminster as an area that has high teenage road casualty rates and so has provided the cash for the two cars to be available for the teenagers who live in the area and go to the two schools to use, under strict supervision from two driving instructors.

Conservative county councillor, Derek Prodger, the cabinet member for environment, said: "Any initiative that can improve road safety and reduce road deaths and causalties is a positive thing.

"I hope that Worcestershire County Council and Anglo/American Racing will offer the youngsters of Oldington and Foley Project an insight into the skills that are needed for safe and responsible driving."

Tim Matthews, chief executive of Anglo/American Racing, added: "We want to create an awareness of the responsibility of driving a ton of metal at speeds of anything up to 70mph.

"We want to demonstrate how quickly and easily a mistake, for whatever reason, can lead to tragedy and we want to teach some fundamental techniques which, we believe, will make them safer drivers."

Roger Woodward, the county council's county road safety officer, said: "More teenage girls are killed in cars driven by their boyfriends than any other way.

"We hope the Oldington and Foley project will educate, prevent tragedy and overcome inappropriate behaviour on the roads."

Do you think this initiative is the best way to combat speeding youngsters? E-mail clive.joyce@midlands.newsquest.co.uk with your view.