Official statistics show that young drivers (aged 17-25) are disproportionately involved in road accidents across Scotland. In Scotland in 2010, 23 per cent of all driver or rider casualties were aged between 17-25, of which 1,083 drivers were male and 723 were female. Scotland’s Road Safety Framework to 20202 acknowledges the importance of communicating road safety messages to pre-drivers at a young age and makes a commitment to develop a guide to organising pre-driver events for secondary school pupils. The Framework also includes a commitment to look for innovate ways to target young drivers with appropriate messages about safe driving, to increase their awareness and understanding of their vulnerability and the dangers they face due to inexperience. In order to respond to these commitments, a ‘Road Skills Working Group’ (RSWG) was set up by Road Safety Scotland (RSS) with the aim of producing a toolkit to advise and assist road safety educators in the delivery of Young Driver Interventions (YDIs), which target young people in their final year at school. It is important here to clarify what is meant by YDIs because driver education and training are broad terms encompassing a range of initiatives and are often used interchangeably despite their differences. The terms can be used to encompass classroom instruction (more common in the US), behind-the-wheel training (including skid training and control) and insight training (which communicates the need for using large safety margins). The RSWG was not concerned with classroom based pre-driver training (where advice is given as to how to get a driving instructor/pass the theory/hazard perception test etc.), nor interventions whose main focus is hands-on skills training. The YDIs which the RSWG were concerned with can vary in content, style and size, but overall they aim to educate young people about the dangers of driving dangerously and to promote responsible attitudes and behaviour as a driver and a passenger. Most YDIs are timetabled during the secondary school day and supported by the head teacher. The target group was 5th and 6th year pupils and so represent a mix of pre and new drivers. The format can range from large scale events following the form of ‘an anatomy of a road crash’ (a step by step dissection of all aspects of a road crash and everyone involved), through to smaller scale initiatives with workshops which may be held over a number of weeks. Many YDIs are held in large venues out with the school premises and others are held within the school. Many include presentations from members of the Emergency Services and road users who have been involved in road traffic accidents, or their relatives. Most YDIs focus on the key dangers of speeding, drinking and drug taking while driving, lack of seatbelt use, distraction, peer pressure from friends/passengers and the consequences of careless driving. Some use lighting and music to create an emotionally charged effect and many of them are hard hitting in style and incorporate shock tactics to portray their message. This group brought together key stakeholders with the shared aim of developing a toolkit to inform and support community partners in the delivery of YDIS. The groups included representatives from the Police, Fire and Rescue Service, Scottish Ambulance Service, Road Traffic Engineering, Transport Scotland, Scottish Government Education Directorate and an academic who specialises in young driver behaviour. The group took a three pronged approach to developing the toolkit. This included; a mapping exercise of Scottish YDIs and a review of 10 evaluations or reviews of YDIs in Scotland plus an examination of the international literature on driver training and education; and any evaluations of these which could be found. The third strand was an externally commissioned ‘thinkpiece’ to identify the styles of delivery, content and approach that would be most likely to have success in influencing the attitudes and behaviours of young people who are most at risk of death and serious injury on the road. (Author/publisher)
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