App designed to enhance driver education

An interactive app designed to enhance young driver education has been developed by the South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership.

The app, the Drive for Life Challenge, is a 10-minute programme based on the established Drive for Life interactive presentation – a free of charge two-hour presentation aimed at young people prior to gaining a driving licence, or shortly after they have passed their test.

While the new app is suitable for all drivers, it is primarily aimed at younger drivers. It comprises eight short film clips, with participants given 10 seconds to answer one risk and one hazard question about the clip they’ve just seen.

The clips feature a young driver who picks up three friends, showing the journey they make and the everyday hazards and risks that motorists face every time they get behind the wheel.

The player’s score is calculated and displayed in percentage terms with tips and information given to help the player improve their score on the next attempt – but more importantly improve their awareness when driving.

Developed by road safety officers from Rotherham and Sheffield councils with a grant from the Local Sustainable Transport Fund, the app has been supported by the publisher FirstCar through its publications for young drivers.

Alex Linton, education manager for the South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership, said: “The challenge really reveals just how sharp a driver’s skills actually are.

“Driving is a skill that many people take for granted. But this innovative online quiz shows just how alert all drivers have to be on our busy roads and how easy it is to unwittingly make errors that could have disastrous consequences.”