Whitby teen who turned tragic death of brother into helping others commended

Tiffany Rollins' older brother Dan was only 18 when he lost control of his car on a bend and crashing into an oncoming vehicle near Ugthorpe in October 2013.

Tiffany has been presented an “Inspiration Award” from Assistant Chief Constable Lisa Winward for helping deliver the “Actions have Consequences” talk to 17 to 21-year-olds, that tells the story of a serious crash from four different perspectives - Tiffany's and a member of each emergency service.

Tiffany tells the poignant story of how she felt when Dan died and how it has affected her life ever since.

To date, Actions Have Consequences has been delivered to around 350 young people in the Scarborough area.

She said: "Most people think that these things won’t happen to them and that they’re invincible, when in fact it can happen to anyone.

"I was shocked but highly honoured to have been awarded a commendation from the Chief Constable. I hope that the work the Actions have Consequences group has put together goes continues and that it teaches many more young adults in the area about the dangers on the roads.”

Temporary Chief Constable Winward said: “Tiffany is a passionate road safety advocate. She has turned the tragic loss of her brother into a positive way inspire young adults to drive safely and recognise that actions have consequences.

"She is an inspiration to her generation particularly within Scarborough area and thoroughly deserves recognition for her work.”

Sergeant Paul Long who is based in Scarborough and developed the talk, said Tiffany's story provoked an emotional response.

He said: “Feedback from our audiences shows her story as being the one that really stands out for them, inspiring them to think about the potential consequences of antisocial or dangerous driving. My thanks go to Tiffany for her amazing support with the project, she truly is an inspiration.”

Tiffany’s road safety work began several years ago when she was just 15 and worked with North Yorkshire Police to make a video to support road safety week 2014.

Sgt Long also thanked Station Manager Mark Naylor from North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service who is also the Scarborough and Ryedale chair for 95 Alive.

He added: “Mark was instrumental in identifying Tiffany as a keynote speaker for the presentation. He has worked with her since Dan’s tragic death and describes her bravery and motivation for protecting other young drivers as heart-warming.”