Organised by Macintyre High School liaison officer Jane Hunter with assistance from Inverell police, the driver education day was held on August 8.

"Students made comments around the reality of the day saying it really stuck a chord that it was real. The day started with police delivering a death message and while it was role play there were real tears," Jane said.

Senior Constable Heath Roberts spoke about a horrific motor vehicle crash he responded to some years ago on Ashford Road. Students were shown photographs and told specific details about the incident.

Local paramedics bought with them beer goggles to show youngsters the effects drugs and alcohol have on response times, sight and coordination.

After morning tea, a simulation of a motor vehicle accident was played out in front of the students with all emergency services responding as they would if it were to happen in real life.

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Inverell Volunteer Rescue Association's (VRA) Jason Tom accepted the donation on behalf of the squad's six road crew members and five trainees.

"Primary rescue is your nasty things, your motor vehicle accidents and the such, a lot of police work. We're full volunteers, so no pay and zero government funding. We rely on the community to keep us on the road," he said.

Captain Tom said it was donations such as these that assisted Inverell Rescue Squad reach 40 years of service to the local community.

When asked about the benefits of a driver education day, he said: "it makes our young people aware and gets the message across that they should think before they act".

Macintyre High School Year 11 captain Rachel McIntyre acted as a spinal injury victim during the crash simulation on the side where the Inverell VRA had to pop open the door.

Although it was role play, she said the experience was terrifying and a lot more confronting than most would expect.

"It's not something you'd want to experience in real life. Having your friend dead next to you, then getting covered with a blanket while they pop the doors, you can't see what's going on, there's a crazy amount of noise and you have to sit there not being about to feel your legs..."

As a learner driver herself, Rachel will take her P1 test in a couple of months, and says she will be careful not to do anything distracting while driving.

"Everything happens so quickly. The whole day had a huge impact and it's definitely not something that I want to ever happen to me.

"Even if you think it wont happen to you, it can so be careful."