MPs, teachers, and road safety experts are backing calls to introduce pre-17 driving tuition into the national school curriculum.

They argue that earlier driver education could significantly improve the safety of young drivers and reduce crash rates.

Introducing young people to the practical realities of driving can improve the chances of embedding road safety, whether they are walking, cycling, or driving.

Wheels

Young drivers stubbornly remain one of the most at-risk groups on UK roads.

Statistics show that one in five newly qualified drivers is involved in a collision within six months of passing their test.

While policymakers have long debated introducing graduated driving licences (GDL), the government has confirmed it will not pursue this policy.

Instead, attention is turning to education.

The UK’s largest pre-17 driver training scheme, Young Driver, believes the answer lies in starting lessons much earlier.

So far, the organisation, which has delivered more than 1.5 million lessons to under-17s since it was formed in 209.

It is now calling for structured driving education to become part of the school curriculum.

 

School time

The idea of introducing driving lessons into the national education curriculum has gained support from figures across Parliament, the education sector, and motoring institutions such as IAM RoadSmart.

A recent Young Driver survey of 2,700 parents and grandparents found that 65% support adding driving to the school curriculum.

Meanwhile, 67% agreed in principle with graduated licences, but nearly a quarter said they believed that with proper education, such restrictions might not be necessary.

Adrian Harding, head of the Young Driver Foundation and a former teacher, said: “Having delivered more than a million pre-17 driving lessons, we’ve seen the difference early education makes. In our research, past pupils were 84% less likely to have an accident in their first six months of driving compared to the national average.”

Harding added that school-based lessons help young people take safety more seriously. “Eight in ten parents we surveyed said children are more receptive to road safety concepts at an earlier age. Learning to be a good driver takes time, patience and experience — and school is the best place to start that process.”

Learning lessons

The Young Driver Foundation, the scheme’s not-for-profit arm, held 109 school events in the past year, delivering around 4,500 lessons to pupils.

Lessons take place on private land and use dual-controlled vehicles.

For younger children, aged four to nine, specially designed Firefly Sport electric cars are used to introduce basic road awareness.

Caroline Nokes MP for Romsey and Southampton North said she was “incredibly impressed” by the programme after visiting a Young Driver site.

“We know the accident statistics for young drivers need improvement, and these programmes can really help. If included in the curriculum, they could save lives and reduce collisions on our roads.”

Euan Stainbank, MP for Falkirk, agreed, saying: “The opportunity to learn under professional instruction before 17 can only enhance road safety for new drivers.”

Educators are also behind the move.

Jo Lawrence, Vice Principal at Joseph Chamberlain Sixth Form College in Birmingham, said: “Too many young lives are lost on our roads each year. Providing students with the opportunity to learn about safe driving helps equip them with vital skills and awareness that could one day save lives. We’d welcome seeing this rolled out more widely.”

 

A strategy

With mounting evidence that earlier driver education improves safety outcomes, campaigners hope the government will now consider making pre-17 driving lessons part of the school experience.

As Harding put it, “If we’re serious about saving young lives, then driving education needs to start long before the test.”

However, with an already overcrowded school curriculum, it’s challenging to picture how it could work in practice.

With GDL also rejected by previous governments, but with a ‘National Road Safety Strategy’ from the government due in the near future, it will be interesting to see what, if any, new solutions to the ongoing problem of young driver and passenger casualties are to be introduced.

Road safety or driver education within the school curriculum could be one route forward.