Ford Driving Skills For Life, a free program designed to provide young people with valuable road driving skills, is back up and running with a focus this year on night driving.
James Stewart, founder and director of Driving Solutions, which runs the program on-site, says it aims to address problem driver behavior before it becomes established.
“We also understand that a lot of the habits in young drivers are habits that their parents had and their parents had, because they taught them how to drive,” Mr Stewart said.
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“Look, if I could change the world overnight, I’d love to just say, ‘Hey, everyone needs to know this, but the problem is we already have generations that aren’t using the skills and abilities to understand.’ Motor vehicles, which is why road tolls are so bad across the country.
“We lose over 1800 people on Australian roads every year because the roads are getting better, the cars are getting safer… road tolls should be lower.
“That’s where Ford comes in and asks, ‘Where do we start to fix this problem? Let’s start with the next generation and give them the best chance of survival.”
Driving Skills for Life resumed in May and after sessions in the Northern Territory this month it will move to Victoria and New South Wales and later Queensland in July and August.
The program for drivers aged 16-24 applies both in Australia and abroad and is bespoke depending on the country and whether it is operated in an urban or regional area.
Among other things, the drivers will be shown how to apply the brakes at speeds of up to 80 km/h and on split surfaces, and how to put on a “fatigue suit” that simulates a blood alcohol level of 0.05.
They are also warned of the risks of modifying or overloading their vehicles and the importance of their maintenance.
Mr Stewart said too many young people are in cars that lack adequate safety technology.
“I think the worst thing we’re doing right now is that we’re giving our most inexperienced drivers the worst cars that they’re going to drive when they start out, without technology, because we’re like, ‘They’ll do it.’ “If there’s an accident, otherwise they damage something, so we don’t pass it off on a good car.”
“I’d like to consider a HECS fee or something to give young drivers their car’s five-star safety rating first, so they have the best chance of survival from the start.
“And when I say a five-star car, it doesn’t have to be a brand new car, just a five-star car from five years ago.”
Mr Stewart says when you buy a car it has to have at least airbags, anti-lock brakes, stability control and a good set of tyres.
“I think that’s the best chance we can give our kids to start with, and when we make our first mistake and we don’t have those safety features, unfortunately sometimes we can’t tell anymore,” he said.
Mr Stewart said another key reason for the high toll is a lack of courtesy from drivers.
“There’s a lot of me in driving, we’re not considerate of other people and I think the courtesy of driving has been lost over time,” he said.
“Let’s bring some civility back to the streets. Let’s give each other a little space, let’s show each other a little respect and somewhere we have to start with that message.
“And unfortunately it’s very difficult for a 30, 40 or 50-year-old to change their habits, but if we can start with the next generation, maybe that’s the best way to do it.”
“You look at places in Europe, you blink on the Autobahn and people avoid you. In Australia someone will flash their lights at you and wave at you while just holding up a finger.”
Ford says it is focusing on night driving this year because of the increased risk of injury or death, citing data from the Victorian Transport Accident Commission that found young drivers were seven times more likely to be killed or injured while driving is darkness than fully licensed drivers.
It is reused ranger And everest on the program this year.
“If you look at country drivers in particular, there are a lot more bigger SUVs, so where 10 years ago young kids wanted to drive one focus or something like that, now it’s all about the Rangers [let’s] Put them in the cars they’re going to drive,” Mr Stewart said.
Through the use of new vehicles, the program also allows participants to experience the latest technology.
The size of each shot depends on the region. The recent session in Alice Springs had 12 participants and two faculty. In Melbourne there will be groups of 50 participants and 10 trainers.
Ford Driving Skills For Life is funded by the non-profit Henry Ford Foundation, which is involved in numerous charitable initiatives and has been in existence since 2003.
Registrations for the next meetings are now possible. Eligible drivers are between the ages of 16 and 24 with a valid learner’s permit or driver’s license register here.
The next sessions are as follows:
- Melbourne International Raceway, Victoria: Friday 21 July
- Sydney Motorsport Parkway, Eastern Creek, NSW: Friday 18 August
- Lithgow, NSW: Saturday 19 August
Queensland locations are yet to be announced.