‘BETTER to be late than dead on time’ was the hard-hitting message confronting teenagers at a road safety talk.

Firefighters and police visited Kingston Maurward College in Dorchester to warn students about dangers on the road.

And mum Pauline Hayter joined them to describe the day her husband and son were killed after their car collided with a tree.

Mark Downing, a community safety officer for Dorset Fire and Rescue, said the new Dying to Drive scheme targets 17-to-25 year-olds as they are the most ‘at risk’ group.

He said: “Most people pass their test at that time and while learning you are only taught to pass a test and not necessarily how to become a good driver.

“When you’ve passed your test you learn to drive but then you are inexperienced and prone to peer pressure. Most 17-year-old girls who die in cars are killed by their boyfriends who drive that little bit faster showing off and trying to impress.”

“We target that age group as they can make a difference while they are starting out and can influence their friends, peers and even their own children in years to come.”

There were 33 fatal collisions in Dorset last year and the students were shown pictures of collisions on the county’s roads as well as possible injuries.

Latest figures from the Brake road safety charity showed that 1,153 youths aged 16 to 19 year olds were killed on the roads nationally. There were 2,914 killed in the 20 to 29 age group. That compared with 2,035 in the 30 to 39 age group and 1,518 in the 40 to 49 age group.

Mrs Hayter’s husband Ivor and son James were killed after their car collided with a tree on the C12 Old Sherborne Road near Cerne Abbas.

Mr Hayter was heading to Weymouth and let learner driver James, due to take his test the following month, drive his blue Suzuki Ignis.

Mrs Hayter said: “I was at home waiting for Ivor and James to come home and when I heard the knock on the door and saw two policemen outside I automatically knew what had happened. It’s always emotional to talk about it as although they were killed three years ago I think about them every day. If coming here and talking to the kids helps them then it’s worth it.”

Mrs Hayter said James is believed to have swerved to avoid a deer as tracks were found nearby.

Students were told of the risks of driving too fast, not wearing a seatbelt or losing concentration and shown a car that had been involved in a collision on the A35 at Slepe.

Simon Hart, also a community safety advisor for Dorset Fire and Rescue, said: “The most important message I want to get out is that everyone is trying to blame roads but until people face up to the fact it’s 99 per cent human error things are still going to happen.”