Should driving lessons be a part of the school curriculum?

The Young Driver Foundation training programme has suggested that driving education should be integrated into the national school curriculum before they turn 17 years old.

This recommendation comes on the heels of a survey involving 2,700 parents and grandparents across the UK, the majority of whom supported the idea of teaching driving in schools.

In fact, 65% (almost two-thirds) of respondents felt that incorporating driving into the curriculum would be a beneficial step.

Adrian Harding, Head of the Young Driver Foundation, explained: “The younger they begin, the more seriously they take the safety side of things.

“Eight out of 10 parents (82%) that we surveyed agree that children are more receptive to road safety concepts at an earlier age.

“Learning to be a good driver takes time, patience, and experience. And to make it accessible to all, school is the best place to facilitate that.

“This is something we’d like to see the government really consider if they’re serious about young driver safety.”

Statistics show that one in five newly licensed drivers in the UK is involved in a crash within six months of passing their test.

In contrast, only 3.4% of those who have completed a Young Driver course have been in an accident.

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The survey also explored public opinion on other road safety measures, such as graduated driving licences.

While 67% expressed some level of support, 23% felt that with proper education, such licences might not be necessary.

Earlier this year, following a debate in Parliament, the Government confirmed that they will not be introducing graduated driving licences.

On Tuesday 28th January, Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood told MPs that the Government are focused on cutting the number of deaths for drivers aged under 24 years of age. However, this would be achieved without GDLs.

Greenwood commented: “Although the two-year probation period for new drivers was introduced in 1995, young drivers, especially men aged 17 to 24, continue to be among the highest-risk groups for fatalities, both as drivers and passengers, considering the population size and miles driven.

“While recent statistics show an 80% decrease in the number of young drivers killed on our roads since 1990, we cannot afford to be complacent – 90 deaths, the figure for 2023, is still 90 too many.”

“While we are not considering graduated driving licences, we fully acknowledge that young people are disproportionately affected by tragic accidents on our roads. That’s why we’re exploring ways to address the underlying causes of this, without unfairly penalising young drivers.”

Young Driver offers lessons to children aged nine and up (who are at least 1.4 metres tall), giving them the opportunity to drive a dual-controlled Suzuki Swift or similar vehicle under the supervision of a qualified ADI instructor. These sessions take place on private property, designed to mimic real road conditions.