The Wisedrive young driver scheme offers an all-day event aimed at year 11 students.
It is delivered as a multi-agency event which aims to positively influence attitudes and behaviour among young road users and pre-drivers.
There is particular emphasis on the ‘Fatal Four’ – the most common causes of death and serious injury in road traffic collisions involving young drivers, namely drink and drugs; seatbelts; speed; and distractions such as mobile phones.
Students attend interactive workshops focusing on these issues via carousel style learning. These learning programs have the added factor of the involvement of families who have suffered real tragedy as a result of the loss of their loved ones in Road Collisions. Students are encouraged to make good choices when first learning to drive and are encouraged to have the confidence to challenge poor decisions when a passenger in a vehicle with their peers.
The initiative will empower the students to understand irresponsible driving and the impact that can have on themselves, other road users and the community as a whole.
This initiative is already well established having being successfully delivered in Durham for the last 10 years.
The year 1 pilot scheme will be delivered over one week involving four secondary schools in Cleveland. Funding will contribute to hire of the venue, the purchase of road safety resource packs and staff to deliver the workshops.
The pilot scheme will be the foundation on which to advertise the scheme to local secondary schools, to achieve greater interest and recognition of the scheme in Cleveland. Durham Wisedrive event was attended by over 1,200 students in 2015 and received excellent press coverage, (both radio and TV) and fantastic positive feedback from both attendees and their teachers.
Delivery of the scheme and its impact will be reported direct to the Strategic Road Safety Partnership.
Decision 50. Wisedrive Young Driver Scheme funding (application, 447kB)