Charity calls for urgent action on young drivers (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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Charity calls for urgent action on young drivers
2:20pm Sunday 6th February 2011 in News
Charity calls for urgent action on young drivers
A CHARITY has called for urgent action to tackle the problem of crashes caused by young drivers.
Brake said a graduated driver licensing system, something the Lancashire Telegraph’s Wasted Lives campaign has been calling for for more than four years, must be introduced.
The scheme would allow novice drivers to develop their skills, and experience, gradually over time, through a minimum lear-ning period and a ‘novice driver’ period after gaining a license.
Lancashire has the highest rate of road accidents in the North West, with the majority of incidents blamed on young male drivers.
Brake’s Julie Townsend said: “Young drivers, aged 17 to 24, continue to be involved in a disproportionately high number of road deaths and injuries.
“One in four deaths and serious injuries on British roads in 2009 involved a young driver, despite young people accounting for just one in eight licence holders.
"Through our support services, Brake hears first-hand about the heartbreak and trauma that the loss of young lives causes.
“Graduated driver licensing is shown to be effective in cutting casualties – and could also help us to create a safer driving culture.
"We hope the Government’s new strategic framework for road safety will include decisive action to stem the waste of human life caused by young driver crashes.”
The Lancashire Telegraph’s Wasted Lives campaign was launched in 2007, calling for legal and educational reform to the young driver training programme to reduce the number of accidents caused by those under the age of 25.
Brake supports families who have been bereaved and injured in road crashes, as well as campaigning for safer roads for everyone.
Families affected by road casualties can call Brake’s helpline on 0845 603 8570.
Comments(8)
burner
says...
2:28pm Sun 6 Feb 11
happycyclist
says...
2:39pm Sun 6 Feb 11
I'm guessing that most people learn to drive when they are young -so their youthfulness might not actually have anything to do with the the high incidence of crashes in that age group.
If most accidents are caused by inexperienced drivers, however, that throws a different slant on things.
Chris P Bacon
says...
2:50pm Sun 6 Feb 11
slackerbtch
says...
3:34pm Sun 6 Feb 11
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Their intentions and original aims are admirable, unfortunately they are too emotive and all too obsessed with speed (like our councils) when it is usually other human factors that are involved. Its a bit like asking prisoners what they think prisons are like; BRAKE are too emotionally attached to be objective.
Lifeinthemix
says...
3:50pm Sun 6 Feb 11
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Police Constables have absolutely no mandate to enforce statute law as such they are acting outside their mandate to act as traffic police.
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There is no body nor institution in Great Britain mandated to enforce Statute Law, period... regardless of what those lacking intelligence may claim is fact.
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And what corporate interest controls the charity? Aviva more than lightly, the purveyor of pay to travel and change in laws via their insurance regulations demanding more and more entrapment by all things Statute Law
Izanears
says...
4:21pm Sun 6 Feb 11
mavrick
says...
6:35pm Sun 6 Feb 11
slackerbtch wrote:I have to agree, I would suggest that the quality of driver training in this country has slipped to a standard that is not acceptable. i mean all classes of driver. People need to be taught to drive in all conditions not just on a predetermined circuit. the biggest problem for the new driver is the extreme cost of tuition. and still no compulsory motorway training.
Given that BRAKE are also calling for a ban on overtaking on single carriageway roads, 20mph limits in ALL urban areas and a maximum 50mph limit in rural areas, regardless of the standard of road, I would suggest that folks take ANYTHING that this bunch of ill-informed and ill-advised do-gooders say with a massive amount of salt.
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Their intentions and original aims are admirable, unfortunately they are too emotive and all too obsessed with speed (like our councils) when it is usually other human factors that are involved. Its a bit like asking prisoners what they think prisons are like; BRAKE are too emotionally attached to be objective.
perhaps a new focus on driver training and education is needed, as you cant put an old head on young shoulders you have to do the next best thing which is to train people properly.
as for brake, i am afraid they sound like a broken record with no real answers.
Michael@ClitheroeSince58 says...
2:27pm Sun 6 Feb 11