Military personnel will benefit from a new road safety programme, launched by Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service this week.

Statistics show that vehicle-related collisions are the second largest cause of non-operational fatalities and injuries across the Ministry of Defence, exceeded only by training incidents.

That is why Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service developed Survive the Drive, a programme specifically aimed at people working in the defence industry.

The aim is that military personnel will get a greater understanding of the risks on the roads and the impact that a road traffic collision can have on them, their families and the wider community.

Survive the Drive will be seen by nearly 2,000 people at military bases in Dorset and Wiltshire before the end of the month.

The presentation includes testimonies from police officers, paramedics, firefighters, someone who has caused a road traffic collision, a victim of a collision and someone who lost a family member in one.

Ian Hopkins, road safety manager for Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “We want them to recognise the parallels between the decisions they make while operational, and those they make at home when driving, and to adjust their actions accordingly.”

The shows will be seen at Blandford, Tidworth, HMS Drake, Stonehouse and Lyneham.