How To Help Young Drivers Stay Safe

Got a teenager wanting to learn to drive? First of all, young drivers amount to just 1.5% of all UK licence holders, but are involved in almost one in ten accidents. And a quarter of drivers under the age of 24 will have an accident within two years of passing their test.

Research in Scandinavia shows that pre-17 driving instruction could reduce accident rates by as much as 40%. It seems that it is important for young people to get as much experience and confidence as they can before they are ready to go solo on the roads. Other research shows that extending the time period over which youngsters learn creates neural pathways in the brain to help the mechanical elements of driving become more automatic; this then gives them more head space to consider the wide dangers and risks when they are on the road. Here are some ways to do this.

 Try indoor carting as a way to improve their reactions and understand changing conditions.

Children as young as 10 can have a driving lesson at Young Driver, the UK's largest pre-17 driving school. This operates at more than 70 sites across the UK, offering youngsters the chance to drive a dual-controlled Vauxhall Corsa with a fully qualified driver. Realistic raod systems are set up at each venue to allow drivers to experience everything from roundabouts to traffic lights and junctions, as well as special areas where they can practice manoeuvres such as parking and steering.

Source: Feature in Good Housekeeping, March 2020.

Dashcams

The insurance industry is taking dashcams seriously, with viseo footage now being accepted as evidence in claims. Some firms offer discounts on conver to dashcam users.

Good Housekeeping testing recommended the following in 2016.

• Overall winner RAC 05 Super HD Car Cam (£149.99). Clear, sharp footage day and night. # Lane diversion warnings alert the driver if they wander from their lane. # With a 2.7 inch display, positioning the camera is easy. # Screen can be switched off for safety.
• Runner up Transcend DrivePro 220 (£123 at Halfords). Easy to set up, with a 2.4 inch screen. # Alert system lets you know if you are too close to the car in front or veer out of your lane. # Built in Wifi means you can connect it to view on a smartphone via an app. # Image adequate but not as sharp as winner. 
• Screenless RoadHawk HD-2 (£249.95). Clear sharp footage day and night. # Straightforward to use. # Lack of screen makes is fiddly to position correctly.

Feature in Good Housekeeping, July 2016

Truths About Women Drivers

There are many jokes about women drivers, but here are the real statistics.

Women can park. Parking, like other skills, is developed over time. Research using surveillance camera data shows that while women may take longer to park, they are more likely to thoughfully leave their car in the middle of a bay. They were also found to be better at locating a parking space, more accurate in lining themselves up before manoevring, and more likely to follow driving instructors' preferred method of reversing into bays.

Woman are good drivers. They are less likely to drive too fast, then brake a lot (11% less likely to brake hard) but control speed with gear changes, thus being kind on the car.

Woman are less likely to crash. Some 57% of male drivers have crashed, compared with 46% of women. Then 46% of men have had a close call with a cyclist or pedestrian, compared with 35% of women. And 68% of women have a clean driving licence, but only 64% of men.

Women do buy cars. The majority of car dealers are aimed at men and 85% of women surveyed by Good Housekeeping said car dealerships were sexist. The GH survey also found out that nine out of ten women are the sole or joint decision maker when car buying.

Women can navigate.

Useful information

A 2015 investigation found that women are often charged up to 30% more for repairs and car maintainance than men. The Foxy Lady Driver Club has over 250 approved dealerships and garages that have signed a charter promising not to overcharge, patronise or sell women services they don't need.

If you want to get a quote before arriving at the garage, use car maintainance comparison site WhoCanFixMyCar.com with its useful problem-solver tool.

The GH survey shows 44% of women feel anxious about driving on motorways. Boost your confidence with the Skill for Life course run by the Institute of Advanced Motorists, with eight one-hour sessions behind the wheel with a trained observer offering advice and instruction. They run other courses on winter driving, parking and speed awareness, plus Momentum, an education programme aimed at new drivers whose lack of experience puts them at highest risk.

Learning to drive. Find a great instructor; it is far too stressful to be taught by a family member or friend. Visit the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency website to find a local instructor, who should have one or more of DIA, NSA or IAM qualifications. Choose an instructor who will give you a free taster lesson, to see how you relate, as building a positive relationship is key.

Worried about an older driver? There is no age limit for holding a licence, drivers over 70 simply renew it and self-certify their fitness every year. One suggestion is for mature drivers to take an annual driving assessment with an independent instructor; assessments are available via the AA, ROSPA and the Institute of Advanced Motorists.

 Feature by Zoe Williams and Ginny Buckley in Good Housekeeping, March 2016