10:13am Friday 23rd March 2007
By John Boyman
YOUNG motorists are being given the chance to get a discount on lessons to make them better drivers.
Hampshire County Council's road safety team has launched a scheme that will see new drivers aged between 17 and 24 given the opportunity to claim a £75 discount on Pass Plus courses.
A total of 49 drivers aged between 17 and 24 were killed or seriously injured on Hampshire's roads in 2005. It is hoped the scheme will reduce casualties, equip newly-qualified drivers with a wider range of skills and expose them to traffic situations that they may not have encountered as part of their standard tuition.
Councillor Mel Kendal, the county council's executive member for environment, said: "A fifth of newly-qualified drivers have a crash within a year of passing their test, so this is a really welcome scheme, and one that I'm sure will help younger drivers feel safer behind the wheel.
"Driving unaccompanied for the first time can be daunting, particularly in busy traffic, and the Pass Plus course will help drivers become more confident, underlining the valuable skills they learned before they passed their test.
"In addition to the county council paying £75 towards the cost of a course - which broadly speaking is around half the total cost - some insurance companies offer discounts of up to 30 per cent for new drivers who complete Pass Plus.
"This is a win-win situation, and I'm sure it will prove very popular."
Pass Plus courses consist of six sessions covering driving in town, in different weather conditions, at night and on rural roads, dual carriageways and motorways.
To qualify for the scheme, drivers must live in Hampshire, be aged between 17 and 24 and have passed their test in the last 12 months.
They must also use an instructor on the county's approved list, whom the council will pay directly on successful completion of the course.
For more information, contact Chris Collins from the road safety team on 01962 845094 or e-mail chris.collins@hants.gov.uk.
© Copyright 2001-2010 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.thisishampshire.net