A SCHEME to make newly-qualified drivers put safety first when they get behind the wheel is being launched across the Whitby area.
Young drivers are the most at risk group in the country, with more than 40% of all car drivers killed on the roads aged between 16-29.
Most newly qualified drivers are young drivers and the hope is with better training, the risks can be reduced a
nd lives saved.
North Yorkshire County Council has joined forces with the 95 Alive York and North Yorkshire Road Safety Partnership to deliver the scheme for newly-qualified drivers who live in the county.
Enhanced Pass Plus is based on a scheme run by the Driving Standards Agency which aims to make newly-qualified drivers safer by building on the skills they have learnt while preparing for their driving tests.
However the North Yorkshire scheme differs by insisting that pupils attend a New Driver Discussion Group where they have a chance to discover why newly-qualified drivers crash, how to avoid being involved in a collision and to examine their own attitudes to risk-taking and driving.
Pupils taking part in Enhanced Pass Plus will receive a 50% contribution towards six training hours with an approved driving instructor.
On completion of the Pass Plus Course they may also receive a discount on their car insurance, but more importantly will have gained greater experience on a variety of roads and in conditions they won't have encountered preparing for their driving test.
North Yorkshire County Councillor John Fort, executive member for road safety, said: "The whole point of this scheme is to take a step forward, to give new drivers a more realistic idea of the threats and responsibilities of driving on our roads, to make putting safety first as automatic as putting on a seat belt and looking in the mirrors."
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