Whilst many teenagers were expecting an easter egg on Easter Sunday, I wonder what would be the best gift you could give a budding and enthusiastic junior driver, who can’t wait to get behind the wheel and grab an opportunity to show off their driving skills?
So whilst you think about contacting A Pass 4 U to order your gift voucher (they’re not just for birthdays and christmas.) I thought I would look to Formula One and A Pass 4 U, to find out how to become a Winner behind the wheel.
In Formula 1, all the attention may be on the Racing Driver behind the wheel of the latest Red Bull Racing-Renault or Williams-Mercedes. In reality it takes a huge amount of people, working behind the scenes to assist the racing driver in coming first across the finishing line.
Formula One is definitely a team sport.
So what kind of jobs do you think are involved with Formula One?
- Mechanic (Puts cars together and repairs cars)
- Research Engineer (Tests new ideas for car designs)
- Design Engineer (Uses computers to invent new car designs)
- Marketing Person (Gains Sponsors and communicates with the media)
When you learn to drive with A Pass 4 U – both you and your instructor are working as a team and just the same as Formula One, every member of the team needs to pull their weight. Your driving instructor will work with you, imparting his knowledge and sharing experiences to help you gradually build your practical driving skills and road awareness to help you cross, your very own finishing line – The Practical Driving Test.
The next thing that Formula One has to achieve each year, and this is a biggie – is cover their costs. Now theirs may run into the millions, as a Learner Driver, yours don’t have to and A Pass 4 You, have many ways in which you or a nearest and dearest can pay for your lessons.
Ever thought of giving a Dragons Den style pitch to your parents, telling them why they should invest in driving lessons for you?
As recently as January 2014, A Pass 4 U was working with Southend, Basildon and Thurrock Colleges (SEC) Students have been taking part in driver theory training classes organised by their Student Services and A Pass 4 U driving school. As part of the training Basildon Campus took part in a competition where they could win £100 worth of driving lessons and theory study material. If you want to get involved in driver theory training and attend one of the SEC Colleges, contact Medhi Hassan in Student Services as we will be running more training sessions soon and again will be running competitions where you could win Driving Lessons courtesy of A Pass 4 U.
If the law changes, eventually teenagers could have to wait a year longer than currently before they are allowed to take their driving test.
The government is considering issuing only 12-month probationary licences at the age of 18 in a bid to cut accidents involving young motorists.
New drivers would also face a curfew between 22:00 and 05:00 unless a passenger aged over 30 was in the car.
Ministers are due to publish a Green Paper this year after considering the Transport Research Laboratory’s report.
It recommends a one-year “learner stage” beginning at 17, during which drivers would have to total at least 100 hours of daytime and 20 hours of night-time practice under supervision.
Learners can then take their test at 18 and, if they pass, will get a probationary licence and have to display a green “P” plate.
During this stage, drivers will face the curfew and all those under 30 will be banned from carrying any passengers also under 30.
Other proposals under consideration for young drivers are a ban on all mobile phone use, including hands-free phones, and a lower alcohol limit.
After the 12-month probationary period, drivers will automatically graduate to a full licence and unrestricted driving.
Statistics show that more than a fifth of deaths on British roads in 2011 involved drivers aged 17-24.
The report suggests implementing this new system could cut annual casualty numbers by 4,471 and save £224m.
A Department for Transport spokesman said: “Young drivers drive around 5% of all the miles driven in Britain but are involved in about 20% of the crashes where someone is killed or seriously injured.
“We are committed to improving safety for young drivers and reducing their insurance costs – that is why we are publishing a Green Paper later in the year setting out our proposals.
“This will include a discussion about how people learn to drive.
“The research report has been produced by the Transport Research Laboratory under commission by the Department for Transport and it, amongst other things, has informed the Green Paper.”
Proposals welcomed
Stephen Glaister, director of the RAC Foundation motoring research charity, welcomed the proposals.
He said: “Young people are four times more likely to die in a road accident than as a result of drink or drugs.
“Yet, as a society we seem to turn a blind eye to the carnage. If this was any other area of public health there would be an outcry.
“This is about ensuring their long-term safety and mobility. Not curtailing it.”
Edmund King, president of motoring organisation the AA, said the proposals were addressing the problem of young drivers in the “wrong way”.
“You should prepare young drivers to be safe when they get their licence rather than give them their licence and then restrict them,” he told BBC’s Breakfast.
He said he would like to see mandatory lessons on motorways, in rural areas and in bad weather, and warned of the problems of policing the restrictions such as carrying young passengers.
Julie Townsend, of road safety charity Brake, welcomed the report, saying it was further recognition of the compelling case for graduated driver licensing.
She urged the government to act “swiftly and decisively” to commit to the system to help reduce the danger young drivers posed to themselves and others.
So would you like to become a Winner behind the wheel?