Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council have launched a major initiative aimed at tackling the high rate of young drivers and passengers killed and injured on the road.
Pass Plus Cymru is a specially enhanced driver training scheme aimed at providing young drivers in the County Borough with additional driving skills and experience to help reduce their chances of being involved in road traffic collisions.
Out of 130 drivers and passengers killed on Welsh roads last year, 59 were between the ages of 16 and 25,representing 45% of total deaths.
Research shows that these fatalities were mainly caused by simple driving errors made as a result of lack of skills and experience, and Pass Plus Cymru has been developed to combat this problem.
Pass Plus Cymru developed by MAC Driver Training in conjunction with Road Safety Wales, builds on the Driving Standards Agency's Pass Plus programme and includes a group interactive two and a half hour theory session and a day of intensive practical in-car training.
The Pass Plus scheme comprises of six specially designed modules which cover:
- Town Driving
- Out of Town Driving
- All Weather Driving
- Night Driving
- Driving on Dual Carriageways
- Motorway Driving
Also covered are defensive driving, hazard awareness, concentration, speed, drugs and drink driving, safe attitudes and behaviour.
All participants will be trained by a professional driving instructor and will therefore gain valuable extra experience and positive motoring skills that would otherwise take a long time to acquire.
Courses are available to 17 - 25 year olds within the County Borough.
Young people wishing to get involved can book by telephone on 08450 504255 or log onto at www.dragondriver.com clicking on the PASS PLUS CYMRU LOGO.
The cost of the course is £20 and has been heavily subsidised by Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council as a result of Welsh Assembly funding. The scheme has also attracted sponsorship from Direct Line Insurance.
For further information contact:
e-mail: roadsafety@merthyr.gov.uk
or
Tel: 01685 726286