Young Driver
No driving licence required
The brand new SEAT Young Driver sponsored by Admiral MultiCar has been set-up for 11 to 16 year olds to start developing their driving skills long before they are able to drive on public roads, an approach that has been proven to reduce accidents and save lives.
Shocking statistics show that one in 5 drivers crash within 6 months of passing their driving test*.
The Transport Research Laboratory’s Cohort study found that after one year’s driving experience, the accident risk for 17 year-olds is reduced by 38 per cent. The study logically concluded that the main cause of road traffic crashes is less a product of age and more one of inexperience.
On average young drivers receive just 47 hours of driving instruction before they pass their test and drive on public roads**. Therefore, the most effective way to reduce road deaths among young people is to ensure they increase the number of hours behind the wheel.
With this knowledge Young Driver has worked extensively in reviewing methods of driving training to devise a programme that focuses heavily on improving the skills and attitudes of this high-risk group. It is designed to offer young people valuable driving coaching before their 17th birthday. The Department of Transport is encouraging such initiatives through the Driving Standards Agency.
The RAC Foundation agrees there is a need for such a programme stating, ‘Of any group, young drivers are most at risk of death and injury whilst out on the roads. Education is essential, and learning safe road attitudes before obtaining a provisional licence can have real value’.
Young Driver sessions will be given by some of the very best Approved Driving Instructors (ADIs) in the country, so the youngsters will be able to learn basic vehicle control and how to assess traffic situations in a safe, controlled environment. They can familiarise themselves with the controls and instruments in the car, focus on learning vehicle control and gain invaluable experience before having to deal with real life road traffic situations. And for added confidence all the Young Driver SEAT Ibiza training cars have been fitted with dual controls to provide complete safety for instructor and driver. All instructors have been fully CRB checked and trained in dealing with younger children.
The driving sessions are available to children over 1.5 metres tall, between the ages of 11 and 16, and will be offered in 30 or 60 minute lessons during weekends and school holidays. The aim is to make it accessible to as many children as possible.
The children are taught different disciplines depending on their capability and this is established at their first lesson. With eight different driving zones and training activity areas, the lessons are designed to progress the young driver from the basic Static Zone to the Braking, Following and Overtaking Zone. For a full list of the Zones and Activities please see below.
Prices for half hour lessons are an affordable £29, with the hour-long session costing only £55.00.
SEAT Young Driver sponsored by Admiral MultiCar, is launching at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham with the first live day on Friday 30th October.
The NEC facilities provide the space for young drivers to experience the SEAT Ibiza training car, in a controlled area. The central location of the first venue makes it very accessible for many parents, and with the help of the NEC the area is well secured for the safety and wellbeing of the children during their time with Young Driver.
Further venues will be introduced early in 2010 with the next one being held at Manchester, Edinburgh and London locations will open in February.
The Young Driver hospitality area is a transformed 1964 Double Decker Routemaster bus sited in car park N11. Painted black and liveried up with the SEAT Young Driver sponsored by Admiral MultiCar logo, the bus will be hard to miss and will provide parents and children with a comfortable place to meet the team.
Onboard, there is a relaxing lounge area upstairs, with computer terminals, a plasma screen and reading material, while downstairs, refreshments and snacks will be available along with the booking desk and merchandise area. There’s also an additional seating and viewing space under a bistro-style, heated awning, which is the perfect place for the rest of the family to watch their young drivers enjoy their drives.
After their first lesson, young drivers will be presented with a Young Driver Drive Diary. This will record their progress and help them continually build on their previous driving experiences. The instructors will have post-session discussions with their pupils and offer feedback so they can move forward with their driving sessions in a confident manner. Young Driver’s aim is to provide the skills that empower learners to achieve new things, rather than teaching a list of ‘don’ts’.
Young Driver is extremely pleased to announce that SEAT UK has agreed to sponsor the programme and has pledged to provide brand new SEAT Ibiza 1.2S AC models for the pupils to learn in. The SEAT Ibiza benefits from superb quality and cutting edge innovation with high levels of safety and comfort, so it will appeal to pupils and parents alike. The Ibiza also features an outstanding level of environmental friendliness: for example, most of the car can be fully recycled, while it also boasts impressively lo CO2 emissions.
SEAT’s Head of Marketing, Steve Robertson, commented: ‘The SEAT Young Driver programme sponsored by Admiral MultiCar is an exciting and inventive concept, which I believe can deliver real road safety benefits. It is the perfect place for our youthful, dynamic and sporty Ibiza.
‘The opportunity to support a scheme which not only promises such an exciting experience for young people, but also brings with it the chance to help prepare kids for life out on the open road when they move on to begin on-road driving lessons, is one we simply could not turn down.
‘I’m convinced the very warm reception that the SEAT Young Driver project has already received will be repeated across the country when the venture goes live nationwide over the coming months.’
Also joining Young Driver is Admiral MultiCar. By sponsoring this programme, Admiral demonstrates its corporate social responsibility. Admiral MultiCar is the first insurance company to take the lead on road safety through involvement in an accessible initiative aimed at reducing road deaths.
Sue Longthorn, Managing Director of the Admiral brand says, “Admiral is delighted to be on board as sponsor of the Young Driver programme. As an insurer, we are only too aware of the high accident rate among young motorists. The aim of Young Driver is to educate young people to be better drivers and to give them vital experience before they drive on road. After all, being under the legal age to drive on the road isn’t a barrier to gaining experience and be properly educated about responsible driving.
“From a parent’s point of view Young Driver is also an excellent way to introduce the under-17s to good driving practice in a safe environment. While for the young people attending the programme, they get to feel exactly what it is like to drive a car in an informative and fun way.”
Head of the Young Driver Programme is Professor Kevin Morley. Professor Morley is an Honorary Professor of Business Studies and has spent his working life in the motor industry at companies including Ford and Rover.
Kevin explains, ‘The statistics of accidents caused by inexperienced drivers is shocking. I believe we have a responsibility to provide basic road and driving skills to our young children. Young Driver provides a great platform to learn the skills required to make them more road-conscious. We have made the lessons enjoyable and easy to understand so as not to intimidate the learners.’
Booking sessions for Young Driver is a very straightforward procedure. Simply log-on to www.youngdriver.eu and follow the step-by-step guide. Once the payment has been processed a receipt and confirmation will be emailed. The only stipulation is that the pupil has to be accompanied to the venue by a responsible adult who, for security and safety purposes, must remain on site during the driving session.
The Young Driver website also provides the facility to purchase gift vouchers – the ideal Christmas or birthday present for budding new learner drivers. The gift vouchers come in half-hour or hour e-vouchers and are valid for up to a year for full flexibility.
It is also possible to book a session for a birthday party no child would ever forget. These sessions allow children to bring their friends along so they can experience the thrill of driving together in a fun, but safe environment. Minimum numbers for these parties is four.
SEAT Young Driver sponsored by Admiral MultiCar believes the annual number of young driver fatalities demonstrates an urgent need to address the way we teach our youngsters. Especially with such frightening statistics as 90% of traffic accidents causing death or serious injury last year included a driver who had only recently passed their test.
Notes to editors:
The location
The NEC, Birmingham, situated 8 miles East of Birmingham city centre, has proved to be an ideal location to launch the Young Driver programme and for the first public days to be held at. Its central location ensures it is at the hub of the UK motorway network allowing traffic easy access from the M1, M5, M6, M6 Toll, M40 and M42.
The sponsors
For more information on either SEAT UK or Admiral Multicar please visit:
www.seat.co.uk and www.admiral.com
The quotes
* Original source: http://www.limbless-association.org/news.php/149/brake-supports-government-plans-to-toughen-uk-driving-test
** Original source: Cohort II: A Study of Learner and New Drivers by P. Wells, S. Tong, B. Sexton, G. B. Grayson and E. Jones (Transport Research Laboratory)
For further details on the Young Driver training programme please contact:
Janet Mills
PR Consultant
Young Driver Training Limited
Mobile – 07798 647012
Office – 0844 371 9010