Focus on young driver safety

“A superb event in amazing surroundings. Without a doubt, one of the best organised I’ve attended with passionate people.”

Each year, FirstCar, Road Safety GB, and the RAC Foundation join forces to present YDF.

This one-day conference is uniquely focused on helping all road safety professionals share the latest data, research, insights, strategies, and ideas about one topic: young driver road safety.

Cutting edge

We don’t need to tell you that driver training is possibly the most important personal safety scheme we all undergo.

Driving or being in a moving motor vehicle is likely to be the most dangerous activity we will ever be involved in.

Unfortunately, especially for the young, the statistics speak for themselves.

Despite this, most of us, young and old, parents or children, treat it nonchalantly.

Isn’t it time we all invested more in understanding and protecting ourselves from the dangers?

CPD

As driving instructors, we are generally undervalued, just as safe driving skills are.

But our job is essential for keeping young people safe behind the wheel and ensuring the safety of all other road users.

Given this, it is key to gain more expertise in understanding and reducing the dangers of and for young drivers.

And that leads us to the relevance and importance of the Young Driver Focus (YDF) annual conference.

Don’t be dopey

One of the sessions just announced will focus on drowsy driving and a new report by RoSPA and Northumbria University.

‘A Socio-ecological Model of Drowsy Driving in the UK: Are we there yet?’ will be presented by Dr Karen McDonnell, Head of Global Relations at RoSPA, and Dr James Broun, RoSPA’s Research Manager.

Key takeaways include:

• Insights into existing data on drowsy driving and gaps to address
• Understanding individual, social, and societal influences on drowsy driving
• Exploring the proposed socio-ecological model of drowsy driving
• Practical recommendations to create meaningful change.

This is just one of many authoratative presentations by a host of expert speakers dealing with issues affecting young drivers.

All can play a valuable role in understanding the high casualty rate amongst young drivers, and how we can best go about educating and protecting them on the roads.

Now entering its second decade, this event is the most established young driver event in the road safety calendar.

It brings together those keen on keeping our most at-risk road users safe .

On offer is the latest research, ideas and interventions for newly qualified drivers.

The RAC Club is a fitting establishment, representing the passion for safe, skilled motoring since for nearly as long as the motor car has existed.

Coming together here are road safety professionals from across the UK, spanning the public and private sectors.

It’s an event that receives the backing of key industry bodies such as DVSA, PACTS, Roadsafe, Road Safety Scotland, RoSPA, and THINK!

Attendees include road safety officers from local authorities, fire and rescue services, and the police, as well as driver trainers, academics, business operators, charities, and anyone else with an interest in young drivers.