Road Safety GB comment on motorway lessons for learner drivers

09.07 | 2 March 2018 |

Road Safety GB has commented on the news that learner drivers will be able to take motorway driving lessons from 4 June.

First announced in August 2017, the DVSA hopes the move will provide a broader range of ‘real life experiences’ and better prepare learners for independent driving when they pass their test.

Steve Horton, Road Safety GB director of communications, said:

“It’s important to remember that motorways are overall the safest roads by virtue of the lower number of serious and fatal crashes on them compared to, say, rural A roads.

“However, the techniques and skills required to use them safely are somewhat different to those we use on other roads – for eample joining and leaving a high speed road, separation distances at higher speeds and the basic fact that situations develop so much more quickly. Therefore any help that novice drivers can get to understand and master such techniques is a good thing.

“In some areas of the country learner drivers may not have it so easy to find and use a motorway, but where this is possible there is no doubt it will enhance novice drivers’ development.

“While the focus here is on the benefits to learner drivers, we shouldn’t lose sight of the fact more experienced drivers will be sharing the motorways with learners.

“There is an important job to be done to prepare more experienced drivers of motorways to expect to see learners so that they can appreciate they may have to be more patient and might experience some unexpected behaviour, but the payback should eventually be a better motorway driving experience for all.”

Click here to read the full news item.


02 March 2018

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