West Sussex launches skills course for young drivers

West Sussex County Council has put together a course to improve the skills of drivers aged 17-25 years - because this group is overly represented in crash statistics. The Young Drivers Skills Course was launched on 9 June after a pilot to test the format and to gather feedback on the content.

Each course comprises 12-24 attendees and is based at Goodwood Racing Circuit. "Goodwood was chosen for its motoring connections and we have found that the atmosphere enhances the day," says Ron Paterson, the Council’s team manager road safety. "In order to attract young drivers we decided to offer an incentive in the form of the opportunity to drive a Ferrari around Goodwood. This gives the instructors the opportunity to reiterate that the place for speed is on the racetrack, not the public highway."

Government funding has enabled the Council to subsidise the cost of the course - currently £50 for training or £90.00 for training and the Ferrari drive. It is hoped that 2000 young drivers will have been trained by the end of December 2005.

The course comprises skidding and skid avoidance; parking and close manoeuvring; ABS braking; the financial and human costs of a crash; and a short test on the Highway Code (to show how much they may have forgotten already). Attendees then go out on the road for a session with an ADI.

"To date we have held four courses and trained around 60 people," Ron Paterson says. "Most inquiries have come from parents wanting to send their child on the course. The majority have also chosen to experience the Ferrari drive."

The course is supported by Derek Bell, five times Le Mans winner, and sponsored by BAA Gatwick and the Guild of Experienced Motorists. Royal & Sun Alliance and Eagle Star Insurance have also offered discounts to drivers who successfully complete the course.

Evaluation will be carried out by Southampton University. Every attendee will be asked to complete a questionnaire before training, six months after the training has been completed and then again a year later.