Teenagers were given the opportunity to get behind the wheel of a car — before they are legally allowed to — as part of an education programme to cut road accidents.
MAGNUS pupil Cara Hansen, 16, sets off in a car with driving instructor Mr Tony Todd. 160212JT3-1
Pupils from the Magnus Church of England School, Newark, and The Grove School, Balderton, were the first in the county to take part in a pre-driver training experience.
The pilot session was organised by Nottinghamshire County Council in conjunction with Safe Start Driving School at its site on Newark Showground.
There are now plans to roll out the scheme across the county, with the next sessions likely to be held in the summer holidays.
As well as two hours’ in-car training, the day included advice on how to choose a good driving instructor and workshops on the responsibilities that come with being a driver, including the effects and repercussions of drink or drugs on a person’s driving abilities.
The 20 teenagers, ten boys and ten girls, who took part in the first event on Thursday enjoyed the experience.
Grove pupil Joe Peck, 16, said it was the best £35 he had spent during the half term holiday.
“I respect people who drive more now. It is a lot harder than it actually looks,” he said.
Ryan Bird, 16, who also attends the Grove, said he wanted to drive when he turned 17 but insurance was expensive.
He said one company had quoted him £11,000 for a 1.3 litre Suzuki.
Ryan said the experience gave him an idea of what day-to-day driving was like.
Magnus pupil Luke Woolley, 16, said: “It’s important to have a day out and learn something that will help you later in life.”
Luke said he used to think driving was complicated but found it was simple to learn with time and patience.
“It showed up all the bad habits and how to improve on them,” he said.
According to research from the Department for Transport, youngsters form their driving attitudes long before they actually get behind the wheel of a car.
By the age of 17, when they can legally drive, they have often picked up bad habits from watching their parents or other people with whom they regularly travel as passengers.
The county council’s principal road safety officer, Zena Oliver, said the training was useful even for the younger pupils, who would not be able to drive for a few years, as they could still influence how others drove while passengers.
She said the message they wanted to give was that driving was a responsibility that should be enjoyed.
The council’s cabinet member for highways and transport, Mr Richard Jackson, said: “With research showing that young people form and crystallise their driving attitudes well before they actually take to the road themselves, it’s important that they receive the right message from the right people.”
