Young drivers are facing ‘road ready jitters’… despite passing their theory test and practical driving exam. What’s worrying Britain’s young motorists?
We’ve heard that one in three young drivers in Britain has a case of the ‘road ready jitters’. A survey done by Co-operative Insurance found that a number of new drivers feared facing the roads.
James Hillon of Co-operative Insurance has a theory as to why young drivers are experiencing the road ready jitters: “Today’s newly-qualified motorists are facing busier road conditions than any other generation.â€
Have you recently donned your ‘P’ plates? Is Mr Hillon correct in thinking that busier roads are the culprit for young driver anxiety? Of course, it’s vital for road safety that anyone passing their driving test, irrespective of their age, is confident and fully prepared to handle driving on the roads unsupervised.
Are busier roads really the problem for young drivers?
However, it’s difficult to agree with Hillon’s point of view, the road ready jitters are probably more to do with what’s expected during the driving test rather than busier roads. Hence the reason that the UK driving test has undergone a revamp with new elements to be added from 4 December, 2017.
One of the most common fears for new, young drivers is motorway driving, which doesn’t feature in the current practical test. However, young drivers taking their exam from 4 December can expect to take to the motorway as part of their test.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, of the 1,000 motorists aged 17-25 who participated in the survey, a high number said they would like to see the following added to the test to better reflect modern motoring:
- Motorway driving
- Sat Navs
- Night time driving
All of these elements will be added to the revamped test, which will go some way towards giving new drivers greater confidence when taking to Britain’s highways.Â
Sarah-Jane Martin of road safety charity, Brake, said: “The research by the Co-op shows that young people agree that the driving test isn’t up to scratch and doesn’t prepare them adequately.â€
New driving test will cure the road ready jitters
Sat Navs were trialled in 2015, with 17-year-old Grant Ferguson of Bishopbriggs in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland becoming the first young driver in Britain to pass the practical driving test featuring a satellite navigation element.
The Department of Transport has stated that it is contemplating allowing learner drivers on the motorway under the supervision of an Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) in a dual controlled car.
The introduction of motorway driving and Sat Navs to the practical test have been welcomed by many motoring experts as a ‘step in the right direction’ for better equipping Britain’s young drivers.
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