School pupils have been transported into road safety role play as part of a programme of theatre in education sessions aimed at saving lives.

The performances – entitled ‘What Went Down’ – focus on issues including mobile phone distraction, peer pressure and responsible behaviour.

The script has been written specifically for South Yorkshire students with a nod to local football team, Doncaster Belles.

And this week, the production was performed at Hill House School in Auckley.

Cllr Joe Blackham, Cabinet member for Highways, is a keen advocate of the Council’s approach to road safety.

He said: “As part of the Council’s commitment to keeping young people across the region safe, we have funded the project so that is free to every secondary school across our city.

“The innovative, engaging and exciting project links to the curriculum while raising awareness among young people about the dangers and risks of using our road network at a time when they are most vulnerable.

“The script has been designed to make it specifically relevant to young people living in Doncaster to that they can relate to the real-life consequences.

“We hope it will help pupils to identify and cope with peer influence as well as promoting safe, responsible and positive behaviour on the way to and from school.”

Following a 30-minute production by theatre in education company The Riot Act, the pupils from years seven and eight will take part in an interactive workshop.

As part of the project, each school will receive a lesson plan which will include introductory notes and a classroom-based follow-up activity linking to Personal Social Health and Economic (PSHE) objectives.

By the end of March, more than 7,500 11-13-year-olds from 38 Doncaster schools will have seen the production.

The City of Doncaster Council is a member of the South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership (SYSRP) whose aim is to work collaboratively to prevent people being killed or seriously injured on the county’s roads.

The ‘What Went Down’ project is an example of Doncaster’s work to reduce death and injury on the city’s roads and forms part of SYSRP’s education, engineering and enforcement approach to road safety.