Group makes young drivers extra training call

1:40pm Monday 29th September 2008

Comments (1)   Have your say »

NEW figures show that 90 per cent of road deaths are caused by driver error.

And the Institute of Advanced Motorists said that young drivers needed to be targeted in a bid to bring that statistic down.

The call from the influential road safety charity echoed calls made by the Lancashire Telegraph’s Wasted Lives campaign to increase training both before and after motorists pass their tests.

The Government is currently completing a consultation into proposed changes to the way people learn to drive.

Our campaign, backed by the transport select committee, has called on ministers to do more to stop the carnage of young drivers on our road.

We want the introduction of graduated licenses, as well as a raft of measures for newly-qualified motorists including limited driving in the evenings, limits to carrying young passengers and limits to driving powerful vehicles.

But instead the Government consultation is proposing extra education before people get their licence rather than such post-test measures, going against the recommendations of the Transport Select Committee.

New Department for Transport statistics have shown that road deaths in 2007 fell to 2,946, a reduction of seven per cent on the previous year.

IAM Trust Director Neil Greig said: “The figures are not all good news. More than 90 per cent are as a direct result of driver error.

“Young drivers are an important area for development for the IAM.

“More than 1,100 18-year olds are killed or seriously injured on our roads every year and there is no higher road safety priority than preparing young people to drive safely, on their own and with passengers, after passing their test.

“And all novice drivers are at greatest risk in the weeks and months after passing the driving test.

“We need to place greater emphasis on training and improvement before the driving test, and after it, ensuring that this covers the full range of roads and conditions new drivers have to deal with.”

Mr Greig said the government and other agencies needed to be more pro-active in encouraging young people to take further training.

The IAM has created a 10-point package of actions for making younger drivers safer also includes encouraging more understanding of driving in a wider range of road conditions, integrating road safety education in core school curriculum subjects and guiding parents on how to help their children become safer drivers through additional, supervised driving practice in the family car.

The Government consultation is due to end next week.