Despite significant progress, road transport systems continue to kill people on a scale that is comparable to cancers, cardiovascular disease and respiratory diseases.

Warning: This article contains graphic images from the movie.

One local authority is turning to technology to reach its target audience and to deal with the ever growing number of deaths on Irish roads. It’s the first time in Ireland this very graphic movie will be viewed by drivers.

The Virtual reality simulator device is been used by young people in the Co Mayo area to try and reduce the number of road traffic accidents.

According to the road safety officer, drivers under 25 are most likely to be in a collision, with Friday and Saturday being peak times for crashes.

The virtual headsets are being put to use by the road safety office of Mayo County Council as part of its ‘Fatal Five’ campaign to teach all drivers the potential dangers of driving.

Fatal Five is a campaign to highlight the four biggest dangers in driving; speeding, using a mobile phone, driving under the influence of drinking and drugs, fatigue and not wearing a seatbelt.

The devices will be used at a two one day road safety awareness days at the racecourse in Ballinrobe Co. Mayo. The Event is being organised by South West Mayo Development Company, Road safety Mayo County Council, An Garda Síochána, Gerry Butler school of motoring and Mayo Rally Group.

The simulation features actors alongside real emergency staff and many young people commented on how real the simulation headset felt. One young girl reported after viewing it that it made her feel sick. “When she puts the injection in the leg, you can kind of feel it, even though you know it’s not your leg.”

The drivers are able to watch themselves on the Samsung Gear VR getting medical treatment, see others around them with injuries at the scene and being cut out of a smashed up car. Another girl stated she didn’t want to get in a car now after explaining it really makes you think how stupid people are to mess around on the roads.

Noel Gibbons Road Safety Officer said the ‘Virtual Reality Fatal 5 – 360 (VF4 360)’ gives drivers the ‘most realistic experience’ of a road traffic collision from the front seat passenger’s perspective.

Users wear a virtual reality headset and experience a full crash scene extrication from the arrival of the emergency services, while being talked through the process by a paramedic.

On completion of the Road Safety Awareness days young people will be given the most up to date official Driver Theory Interactive CD. They can study this at home and they will be invited back early 2017 and given the opportunity to sit their driver theory test.