A campaign launched after a joy-riding crash that claimed three lives has resulted in a film now helping to prevent future tragedies.

The Press, in York, launched its Live Now, Drive Later campaign earlier this year after an inquest into the deaths of two 15-year-old boys and a 51-year-old Press van driver.

One of the teenagers had taken his father’s Audi car and driven around York at high speed with his friend until he lost control and crashed head-on into the Press’ delivery van.

The campaign’s aim was to create a video to make other youngsters who may be tempted by the idea of taking a car think again.

People directly affected by the consequences of joy riding, including relatives of two people killed in the triple fatal accident, were interviewed by chief reporter Mike Laycock.

Local film-maker Christopher David then scripted and produced a fictional dramatisation, featuring a teenage boy who is tempted to take his father’s car and then crashes at high speed, suffering horrific injuries.

The 13-minute film was recently shown to schoolchildren for the first time as part of an emergency services’ road safety and anti-car crime roadshow.

By coincidence, the first school to view it was the one attended by the two 15-year-olds who died in the original crash.

The pupils reacted to the film with stunned silence, and police and fire officers said it had achieved exactly what was wanted.

Press editor Kevin Booth said: “It’s a hard-hitting film with a very strong message. I’d like to pay a special tribute to the families of those killed in the original accident who, despite their obvious pain, co-operated fully in the making of the film, hopefully for the benefit of others.

“It was a humbling experience to sit round the table with them and listen to how a moment’s recklessness has had such a devastating impact on so many lives.”

A scene from the DVD

A trailer from the film can be seen at the paper’s website.

The film will be shown as part of the Impact Roadshow at every other York secondary school in 2008, and then for years to come, ensuring it would have a long-lasting impact on teenagers’ attitudes towards joy riding.