Durham Pc Dave Nixon, a road casualty reduction officer, has been giving the classes to inmates at Durham Jail.

The talks include slide presentations and video clips, a body bag and goggles which mimic the disorientation of a drunken driver.

Around 800 inmates have attended the one-day courses so far, many of them with convictions for motoring offences.

The courses have been running for the past 16 months much of the presentation is deliberately shocking.

It features graphic video footage of road accidents all caused by individuals who have been either reckless or under the influence of drink or drugs.

Impact of behaviour

One inmate who has attended the course, Ken, said it was a worthwhile experience.

He said: "It makes you more aware of the road situation in general.

"It makes me not want to get in a car again - it opens your eyes to a lot of things."

Mr Nixon said he believed the message was getting across to the prisoners.

He said: "I think one of the big problems is we have our own perceptions about the people who commit these offences.

"Working with them, you realise it is more through ignorance that people do not realise the impact their bad behaviour has.

"We are not going to score a major impact with everybody, but even if two or three people take on board the message then it is worth doing."