Rupert Matthews, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Leicestershire, has given a grant for the Pathfinder Initiative to run in Leicestershire, delivered by The Under 17 Car Club Charitable Trust.
The Pathfinder Initiative runs over 5 days with students aged 15-17 and their parents participating in a road safety programme designed to reduce their risk of collision, injury or death when they become licensed drivers. The effectiveness of the programme is shown in a substantial reduction in collision rates.
Paul Silverwood, Chair of the Trustees of The Under 17 Car Club Charitable Trust said: “The work we do at Pathfinder deals not just with the technical aspects of driving but works extensively with the students and their parents to engage them in learning about the multiple causes of collisions, the emotional consequences and the ways in which their behaviours and their choices in dealing with and mitigating road risk can help to make them #SafeAt17.”
PCC Rupert Matthews said: “The Pathfinder programme supports my ‘prevention over cure’ approach and captures young people early enough to instil a stronger sense of responsibility and awareness of their driving behaviour on other roads users while honing the practical skills needed to reduce the risk of injury. By involving parents and guardians on the course, it also helps to build trust and confidence in their driving abilities right from the start.
“Young people who have completed the course have been statistically proven to be less likely to be involved in an accident. I am determined to make our roads here in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland the safest in the country. This safety project is part of a whole raft of improvements I am funding to achieve this ambition.”
The first Pathfinder Event in Leicestershire will take place from 15th – 19th July 2024 at Prestwold Driving Centre. Information and bookings at under17driver.co.uk
Background
The Pathfinder initiative is for rising 17s (15-17). It takes the Under 17 Car Club philosophy and methodology and compresses these into an intensive, exciting and high impact four or five-day programme blending learning with fun to deliver key messages about road safety, risk awareness and safe attitudes.
The reduction in collision rates has been established through continuous re-evaluation as being from 1 in 4.5 (national Dept For Transport data) to 1 in 19 (Pathfinder graduates’ aggregate over multiple surveys). The survey evidence can be seen here: https://u17ccctrust.org/research
In 2024, in addition to the Leicestershire events, Pathfinder will be running events coinciding with local school holidays at Malvern in Worcestershire, South Cerney in Gloucestershire, Seighford in Staffordshire and Rufforth in Yorkshire.
Full information is available at www.under17driver.co.uk
For all media queries please contact: John Beckford john@under17driver.co.uk Phone: 07786 510060
Interviewees are available by arrangement.