The GoDrive programme, originally developed by road safety teams in Thames Valley and Hampshire, is attracting interest from across the UK and internationally, with requests for the resource coming from as far away as Australia.
This remarkable reach highlights the universal importance of equipping young drivers with the knowledge and tools to navigate roads safely. GoDrive’s international acclaim is a result of its inclusion in the newly developed National Fire Chiefs Council’s Young Road User Education Intervention Toolkit.
Cheryl Evans, senior road safety officer at West Berkshire Council, representing the group behind GoDrive, said: “With GoDrive’s continued expansion and the toolkit’s introduction, the road safety community is making significant strides toward creating safer roads for young drivers worldwide.
“These initiatives not only address today’s challenges but also set new benchmarks for collaboration, innovation, and impact in the field. They are a testament to the power of working together to improve road safety and empower young drivers everywhere.”
GoDrive, which combines a 50-minute film and four facilitated activities, offers new drivers and passengers information, advice and practical tips on how to stay safe on the roads. The interactive tasks are spread throughout the film to help break up the session and get the group working together.
GoDrive was evaluated using a controlled pre-post study with intervention and control groups. The intervention received positive feedback from students and showed statistically significant benefits in several areas.
Notably, it improved student intentions for driving practice, attitudes towards driving while fatigued, and the likelihood of passengers speaking out. It also enhanced intentions for hazard perception practice and improved risk perceptions related to driving with multiple peer-aged passengers. It was encouraging to see that the safety benefits delivered were in the areas needing the most improvement.
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