Mr Codd said;
“A recent pilot programme in New Zealand’s Massey University saw the successful rollout of a comprehensive driving programme to 16 year olds in a secondary school environment. The results of the programme were increased road safety among participants, a much higher success rate on participants driving tests and, ultimately, lower insurance quotes for those who had participated. Other key benefits included a boost to teens sense of independence and development as responsible adults, as well as reducing family tensions that can arise when parents are the main driving instructors.”
“At the start of the programme, students studied the road code and did practice online tests to sit their provisional licence. Students who failed any part of their licence were given extra support to re-sit until they passed. During the six months they were required to have a learner licence before they could sit their restricted licence test, they spent time in the school holidays with instructors and mentors who taught them the basics of driving.”
“They then received six one-hour driving lessons from a professional driving instructor throughout the next six months, as well as additional 52 hours practice with mentors (family, friends of family, community volunteers – including retired police officers and business people).” “The benefits of such a programme being rolled out in Ireland would be huge. As it stands many young people struggle to get driving, which often means they can’t get to work or college. Much of this could be cut out if secondary school students were leaving school with a full driving licence. It would lead to an inevitable average reduction in young people’s car insurance and road accidents.”
“This is a project I will fight to see become a reality here and Wexford is the perfect place for a pilot scheme.”
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