Ground-breaking Young Driver Scheme launched

1 April 2008

[L to R] Mick Doyle, Thames Valley Police; His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent GCVO; Malcolm Collis, Thames Valley Police; Chris Howell, DriveTech (UK) plc and David Thomas, a²om.

A ground-breaking education scheme for drivers under 25 caught committing moving road traffic offences was launched by His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent GCVO on 1 April.

The Young Driver Scheme gives under 25s caught committing driving offences in the Thames Valley the opportunity to find out about the consequences of their offending driving as an alternative to receiving points on their driving licence and a £60 fine. The scheme is a Thames Valley Police initiative, with a pioneering e-learning facility created by a²om, the UK’s first university-affiliated driver education academy. It will be managed operationally by DriveTech (UK) plc, who deliver all driver diversion schemes for Thames Valley Police.

His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent GCVO, said: “I have always taken a close interest in road safety issues at home and abroad and I am delighted to see this new scheme bringing together some of the leading road safety organisations in Britain.“Thames Valley Police are to be commended for their initiative to counter some of the significant problems affecting young drivers, underpinned by a²om’s technology and scientific research in this field, which surpasses anything of its kind.”

The new scheme aims to target vulnerable motorists and reduce the risk of young drivers becoming involved in serious injury and fatal road collisions.

Road collisions are the leading cause of death for 16 to 25-year-olds. Nationally, two thirds of young drivers killed in fatal road collisions have previously been in either a less serious collision or have committed a moving road traffic offence. In the Thames Valley (Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire), more than one third of all casualties on the roads involve 16 to 25-year-olds.

The Young Driver Scheme is for drivers under 25 who have been caught committing a driving offence either on camera or by a police officer. Careless driving where a collision happens can also be included. The range of offences that come under the Young Driver Scheme is large but includes offences that would usually receive a fixed penalty notice of £60 and three penalty points or careless driving which can only be dealt with in court and where up to nine points and a large fine could be awarded.

Superintendent Mick Doyle, head of Roads Policing, Thames Valley Police, said: “It is an honour to receive the support of His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent for our Young Driver Scheme. “Young drivers, particularly young men and young passengers, feature disproportionately in UK and global road casualty figures. Seatbelt wearing among young people in cars is poor, especially for rear seat passengers. The sad fact is that of those killed not wearing their seatbelts in the Thames Valley area, had they been belted in, two thirds of those in front and more than 90 per cent of those in the back would be alive today. This scheme aims to challenge the skills of less than responsible young drivers and their belief that they are invincible.”

Chris Howell, Chairman of DriveTech said “We’re delighted to be involved in the delivery of such an innovative scheme. One in three drivers, who die in a collision in the UK, is under 25 – we need to act now to change this.”

Editor's Notes

DriveTech (UK) plc is one of the UK’s leading providers of road risk management, driver assessment and education. We work both with organisations whose employees ‘drive for work’ and with members of the public, who are offered education as an alternative to prosecution by the police.

DriveTech’s vision is ‘working together to eliminate road death and serious injuries’ by providing the most effective and innovative solutions, using education and technology, to minimise risk for all road users.

DriveTech (UK) has won the Institute of Transport Management’s (ITM) ‘Fleet Award for Driver Training’ in 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 and the ‘European Driver Safety Specialist’ award in 2005. In September 2007, it was named the ITM’s ‘UK Driver Training Solutions Specialist’ for making ‘the most significant impact upon the Driver Training and Safety sector over the past decade’

In 2007, DriveTech (UK) won the South England and South Wales regional award of the Bank of Scotland Corporate ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ of up to £5m, interest-free funding and was runner-up in the national Grand Finale. In addition, the company was named runner-up in the 2007 Thames Valley ‘Business of the Year’ award. For further information, members of the media should contact Steve Johnson on direct line +44 (0)1789 414700, mobile +44 (0) 7894 621134 or on steve.johnson@drivetech.co.uk