Helping L Drivers

As soon as a learner driver passes his or her driving test, and can drive unsupervised, their risk of crashing increases dramatically.

Nearly one in five drivers report having some sort of accident, and almost three quarters report having a near accident, within six months of passing the driving test.

In 2010, 24% of all road deaths occurred in an accident involving a young car driver, and 437 people were killed in accidents involving young car drivers. This included 158 young drivers and 93 passengers of young drivers.

However, this risk is reduced if learners gain as much supervised driving experience as possible while they are learning, including both professional lessons with an Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) and private practice with a parent or friend.

This website has been created by RoSPA to help parents and guardians to ensure that their children who are learning to drive get the most benefit from their learning period. It also offers help and advice for parents with learner motorcyclists.

The website advises that the most important things parents or guardians can do are:

• Ensure the learner meets all the legal requirements for learning to drive.

• Ensure you meet all the legal requirements for supervising them during private practice.

• Allow the learner to get as much supervised practice as possible.

• Use the advice in the ‘Private Practice’ section of the website to get the most benefit from practice drives.

• After the test, encourage the learner to take further training.

• After the test, consider making a Parent/Young Driver Agreement.