Leaders for two more of the key topics shaping the agenda at this year’s Young Driver Focus event – fatigue and safer vehicles – have been announced.
Now in its eighth year, the event will be held at the prestigious Royal Automobile Club, Pall Mall, London on 10 May 2023.
Jointly organised by FirstCar, Road Safety GB and the RAC Foundation, Young Driver Focus (YDF) brings together road safety professionals from across the UK, in order to share the latest data, research, insights, strategies and ideas around just one topic – young driver road safety.
The 2023 event will examine five key areas where evidence shows big reductions in young driver casualties can be made, if levels of adoption and acceptance are increased. These are:
- Wearing a seatbelt
- Choosing telematics insurance
- Driving safer vehicles
- Getting enough sleep
- Extending the learning to drive process
After a short presentation introducing each topic, a panel discussion with industry experts and stakeholders will try to unpick some of the challenges and barriers as well as the opportunities.
Leading the ‘Getting enough sleep’ session is Ashleigh Filtness, a professor of transport, human factors and sleep science at Loughborough University’s Transport Safety Research Centre.
Over her career Ashleigh has authored more than 90 peer-reviewed publications and attracted research funding in excess of £3.3 million.
Ashleigh’s session will examine the impact of fatigue on new drivers’ ability to perform critical tasks and consider how best to engage young, novice drivers in managing their fatigue.
Meanwhile, at the helm of ‘Driving safer vehicles’ is Tom Leggett, vehicle technology specialist at Thatcham Research.
As part of his role, Tom gathers insight and intelligence regarding current and future vehicle technology. This technology could relate to automation, connectivity, safety, repair, electrification and security.
Attendees will hear about technology that can dramatically increase the safety of new drivers, as well as developments that may provide additional distractions.
Last month, it was announced that Shaun Helman, chief scientist at TRL, will be leading the ‘Extending the learning to drive process’ session.
As a result of this year’s format, which involves changing the traditional theatre style seating to cabaret style tables, delegate places will be strictly limited to 120 – and allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.
Delegate registration is now open, with a discounted rate for Road Safety GB members.
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