Driving training for Blackburn Rovers academy starlets (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Driving training for Blackburn Rovers academy starlets

5:40pm Wednesday 21st January 2009 in News By David Watkinson, Deputy news editor

NEW SKILLS: Rick Leighton, left, and Rhiannon Leeds, of the road safety team, with Rovers trainees Jake Simpson, Aaron Doran and Josh Morris

YOUNGSTERS at the Blackburn Rovers academy have been warned over the dangers of reckless driving.

They are among over 1,500 16-24-year-olds who have undergone training as part of the Lancashire Telegraph’s Wasted Lives road safety campaign.

Linda Sanderson, from the Lancashire Partnership for Road Safety which operates the training, said: “The need to challenge the attitudes and change behaviour of young people as they start to drive has never been greater – perhaps even more so for young footballers.

“I congratulate Blackburn Rovers for taking so much care over the development of their young payers’ life skills as well as their football skills.”

The course took place just days after Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo wrote off his £200,000 Ferrari in a crash.

The one-day event includes a series of hard-hitting DVD clips and it has been developed to get right under the skin of young attitudes towards being behind the wheel and curb the rising death toll on our roads.

Linda added: “Inexperience behind the wheel is a big factor in these deaths, but risk taking, over-confidence, a love of speed, showing off, peer pressure, drinking and the taking of drugs are all prevalent in this age group and mixed with cars, can lead to tragedy.”

Rick Leighton, head of education at the academy, said: “Football players that make it are set to have a high disposable income which often leads to purchasing high performance cars.

“At the Academy, anyone wishing to buy a car discusses it with me first and there is a 1.4 cc limit on the engine size.

“The Wasted Lives course has been an incredibly effective eye-opener that backs up all I have said about taking responsibility for their driving and I know it has hit home with the players.”

Jake Simpson, 18, who attends the academy, said: “Wasted Lives makes you aware of your own actions as a driver and the effects they could have on others. It made me realise what I have to be careful of. I enjoyed the session; I have just learnt to drive and it was really useful for me.”

Josh Morris, 17, added: “It has made me think about my friends and family and how they would be upset if anything happened to me.”