YOUNG ENTHUSIASTS TO GET NEW DRIVING INITIATIVE
26 July 2004 - Institute of Advanced Motorcyclists

A scheme to encourage young and enthusiastic drivers to ''max up'' their driving is to be launched next month (2 August) in an unprecedented move to reduce casualties on UK roads caused by needless crashes.

Max Driver is the most ambitious attempt yet to get young car drivers (particularly but not exclusively young males, who feature disproportionately in crash statistics) to improve their road awareness, safety and car control skills. Traditionally, this
group of drivers has been the hardest to convince of the benefits of better driving – but the instigators of this scheme believe they have come up with a recipe for success.

The nationwide scheme is a partnership between the IAM and EMAP, publishers of lad mag ''Max Power''. It’s backed by Honda, Ripspeed at Halfords and Adrian Flux, the insurance brokers.

IAM Chief Executive, Christopher Bullock, said the problem often stemmed from over-estimated ability. A recent Max Power survey saw more than 80 per cent of young men claim that they are ''good'' or ''very good'' drivers.

But the same sample sees two thirds of them describing their driving as ''fast'' and a quarter admitting that they are ''aggressive''.

The Max Power report, based on 1525 respondents, suggests that key safety messages are being ignored by young drivers and that the perception of their driving ability contrasts starkly with the facts. That said, 83% of respondents claimed that they would be ''fairly'' or ''very'' interested if an ''advanced'' driving course and/or qualification was made available to them.

Mr Bullock said that the IAM feels that the time is right for an education and training based approach to developing responsible driver attitudes.

''Easier said than done, of course. The reality is that we have to win hearts and minds. This won’t be achieved by preaching or just from warnings of dire, but remote, consequences of getting it wrong,'' he said.

''Enthusiastic drivers need positive and guiding influences on their attitudes and driving behaviours. They are more likely to be persuaded by immediate benefits: they want to keep their licence, afford a better car and, in the case of young males (bearing in mind that three quarters of young women are scared by their boyfriends’ driving) they want to be attractive to the opposite sex.''

''They need to experience for themselves the satisfaction of driving with skill, at the right speed at the right time. In short, by participating in Max Driver, young drivers will gain much more enjoyment from driving and they will present less of a risk to themselves and other road users.''

Mr Bullock agreed that at first sight the IAM and Max Power partnership might appear a little unlikely but look beneath the surface and the synergies are clear to see.

''Both parties believe that this initiative could herald a
fresh approach to casualty reduction among a particularly vulnerable group. If any scheme can put a more mature and responsible ''head'' on some young shoulders whilst doing nothing to dampen young drivers'' passion for driving, Max Driver can,'' he said.

www.max-driver.com

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