What began as a pilot project has become a success story. One million young people have now taken part in Crash Kurs NRW. Since 2010, the accident prevention program has taken place more than 4,500 times at schools and vocational colleges in North Rhine-Westphalia. "Crash Course is an unparalleled success story. Here we manage to develop a realistic awareness of danger in young people. This leads to a lasting, positive change in behavior," said Interior Minister Herbert Reul, praising the prevention project.
At the events, police, fire and rescue services report on road accidents. They show pictures of accident scenes and describe how they feel when they have to provide first aid or break the news of a death. Accident victims, relatives and surviving dependants describe what these experiences have done to them. These are real-life accident reports.
The aim of Crash Kurs NRW is to educate people about the dangers of road traffic and to show that speeding, typing or drinking at the wheel can end in death.
Interior Minister Herbert Reul: "Crash course is like driver safety training. It raises awareness of the dangers of road traffic. Nobody can illustrate the consequences of an accident like the people involved. I would like to thank all the organizers and volunteers for their commitment. What I find particularly admirable is that they keep telling their - sometimes traumatic - stories."
Young people in particular are involved in accidents at an above-average rate - one reason why the program was initiated. Since its launch, accidents among young adults have decreased. The number of 18 to 24-year-olds involved in accidents has fallen from 13,231 to 10,426 in 2020 (- 21.2 percent) over the past five years. In 2007, 137 people between the ages of 18 and 24 died in a road accident. Since then, there has been a steady decline. In 2020, 63 people from this age group died (- 54 percent).
