IF you think you can drive your vehicle like a rally car on Herefordshire's road you need to think again.

That’s the message presented to Bromyard drivers who discovered the differences between rally cars and normal road vehicles at a special event last week.

The event, which was held by road safety organisation Time and Place, aimed to illustrate ways in which rally cars are designed to sustain impact in contrast to the average road vehicle.

Keith Gluyas, vice-chairman of Ludlow Castle Motor Club, displayed rally cars and spoke to drivers at the event held at Bromyard Leisure Centre last Friday.

“My involvement was to say how these cars are specially prepared to sustain collisions,” said Mr Gluyas.

“I have seen some horrific rallying accidents where people have walked away but if that had been a standard road car it would have been a fatality without any question.

“Normal road cars are not designed to withstand serious impact. Even modern cars are not as safe as a rally car.

“Rallying is dangerous but so is driving recklessly on the road. There is a time and a place to drive fast and, no matter how good a driver you are, you will run out of road and possibly hit something.” Safety is an important aspect of rallying and participants ensure they are well protected.

“Every rally car has to be inspected before it can proceed by an authorised Motor Sports Association scrutineer. The driver and co-driver have to wear fireproof overalls and crash helmets and then keep upgrading them every couple of years,” he said. “They also have seats belts that are like full harnesses so you cannot move and are totally secure .” The structure of the cars have a number of safety features that a normal road vehicle does not.

“They have roll cages which act as a frame within the car to stop it being crushed if it is in an accident,” Mr Gluyas said.

“They also have door bars so the cars can withstand a side impact and plumbed-in fire extinguishers.

“If you have an accident you can pull a lever if the car catches fire.

“These safety features are designed to avoid the worst consequences of an accident.” Time and Place is an award-winning road safety group that has started to expand into Herefordshire to spread the message about the dangers of the county’s roads to young people.

The group, which was set up in the Forest of Dean, hopes to bring presentations to as many teenagers as possible who are approaching the age when they will learn to drive.

Any schools or groups interested in contacting Time and Place about its services can ring Heather Thompson on 01432 820573.

More information is available on www.timeandplace.co.uk