A ‘stay safe’ driving school is set to reduce the number of road accidents involving young drivers across the West Midlands.
For parents wanting teens to become more road safety aware, a Young Driver pre-license training centre is to be opened at Westfield Merry Hill Shopping Centre, Brierley Hill, on Saturday 23 March.
The initiative gives children aged 11 to 17 the chance to drive a car in a safe and controlled environment at Merry Hill’s Waterfront car park. Research shows that early driver training can reduce accidents in newly qualified drivers by as much as 45 per cent.
Tuition is provided by highly qualified CBR-checked driving instructors in duel controlled cars and with a full road system in place including traffic signs, junctions and parking areas, youngsters will be encouraged to consider responsible driving.
Kim Stanton, Young Driver’s marketing director, commented: “Westfield Merry Hill gives us ample space to introduce young driver education. With one in five young people crashing within six months of passing their test, anything that reduces accidents among this age group has to be a good thing.
“As well as driving a car for the first time, each youngster will receive a personalised driving diary that will chart their progress with us. This lets their driving instructor, when they reach the age of 17, see their previous driving experience.
“With the help of our sponsors SEAT, Admiral Insurance and Goodyear Tyres, over 66,000 lessons have now been delivered by Young Driver at 22 centres across the UK. This will make a huge difference when it’s time for teenagers to take to the roads for real.”
Motoring commentator Quentin Wilson supports Young Driver, saying: “Early young driver training equips teenagers with the necessary life skills, so we can start to reduce the number of road accidents involving young people.
“We know that children are more receptive to information at an earlier age and show a greater willingness to learn. It removes the whole obstacle of teenagers rushing through their test at 17 to impress their friends. This really is the start of a revolution in the way we teach people how to drive.”
Places must be booked in advance and are expected to fill quickly. Lessons are priced at £29.99 for a 30 minute lesson or £57.99 for an hour. The event starts at 10:00am and will finish at 16:30pm.
For more information visit www.youngdriver.eu or telephone 0844 371 9010.