Hundreds of Oxfordshire teenagers will tomorrow confront the grim realities of irresponsible driving head on.

Young people aged 17 to 19 will hear relatives of road crash victims describe what it is like to lose a loved one.

They will also hear from Didcot man Gareth Houston, 22, who was paralysed after a motorcycle crash, and watch a specially-made film.

Supt Mick Doyle, pictured, head of roads policing for Thames Valley Police, said he expected some members of the audience to be brought to tears by the 70-minute Safe Drive Stay Alive presentation.

He said: “It’s hard hitting, but it’s not gory. There’s little point in doing gory – Grand Theft Auto beat us to that.

“This is hard-hitting emotionally. Within 20 minutes you will be able to hear a pin drop. By the end, the carpets will be soggy from people crying.”

The presentation, which will be shown four times over the course of Tuesday and Wednesday at the King’s Centre, in Osney Mead, Oxford, will include testimonies of police officers, paramedics and firefighters who have been to the scenes of collisions.

Mr Doyle said more than 3,000 school pupils and young soldiers would attend the presentations.

He added: “The message is to make them think about the choices they make, because they can mean the difference between life and death.”