Racing driver Lewis Hamilton and Leader of Surrey County Council Dr Andrew Povey joined police representatives and other VIPs for the launch of road safety campaign RoadSense – your life, your responsibility.

The new education programme was launched at Mercedes-Benz World in Weybridge.

It will be the first programme of its kind to offer school children from as young as 14 the chance to learn about road safety from a driver, passenger and pedestrian perspective.

RoadSense has been developed by the Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy and is supported by Surrey County Council, Surrey Fire and Rescue and Surrey Police.

It aims to reduce the number of casualties on Surrey’s roads, and will also help to address antisocial driving in Surrey.

Mercedes-Benz has chosen Surrey as the location to pilot the scheme, which will initially be offered to 5,000 local pupils (aged between 14 and 18), with a view to rolling it out nationwide from 2010.

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