The road safety sector is uniting behind a two-week campaign to highlight the risks faced by young drivers.
Operation Spotlight is a national campaign coordinated by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC). Between 22 September and 5 October, the campaign focuses on young driver safety.
Data shows that 24% of fatal or serious injury collisions on Britain’s roads involve 17 to 24-year-olds. In 2023 alone, nearly 5,000 people were killed or seriously injured in collisions involving at least one young driver.
Stakeholders across the country are placing an emphasis on young drivers throughout the campaign, including in West Yorkshire, where roads policing officers are working to educate and enforce safe driving practices across the region’s highways, conducting high profile patrols and roadside stops.
They will also continue to deliver the ‘One Life Lost’ campaign in educational establishments, where officers use their own experiences of dealing with road traffic collisions to give an impactful presentation to young people.
Sgt Jonathan Pickard, from the Roads Policing Unit, said: “We’re committed to making our roads safer for everyone, and that starts with tackling the behaviours that put lives at risk. Young drivers and riders are disproportionately affected by serious collisions, and through education and enforcement, we aim to change that.
“The campaign also calls on parents and guardians to play a vital role in shaping the attitudes of young people towards road safety. By setting a strong example and reinforcing the importance of responsible driving, you can help instil life-saving habits.
“As parents, we have the power to influence those decisions and help protect our children. One life lost is one too many.”
Meanwhile, stakeholders are also being encouraged to make use of a new website, launched earlier this year to bring clarity, consistency and collaboration to efforts to reduce young driver risk in the UK.
The Protect Young Drivers website brings together essential information on the need to better protect young and novice drivers during their most vulnerable months on the road.
Until now, this information has been scattered across multiple platforms, using varying terminology and levels of detail.
Hosted by the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS), the new site has been developed as a shared resource for all stakeholders committed to protecting young drivers – including police forces, local authorities, safer roads partnerships, public health teams, charities and campaigners.
The site has already gained the support of a wide range of national stakeholders, including Road Safety GB, the NPCC, NFCC, RAC Foundation, TRL, PACTS, The AA, Brake, RoadPeace and IAM RoadSmart.
As well as key facts, timelines, and international comparisons, the site features research, lived experience from bereaved families, and links to major reports and campaigns – all designed to help inform media, policymakers, MPs, practitioners and the public.
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