Safe Road Use programme

Crucial steps to bring about a major change in driving attitudes across Great Britain took place at a high-level meeting in Glasgow.

Police officers, road safety experts and educationalists met at the headquarters of the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) to agree and progress a national 'Safe Road Use' programme which forms a major part of the national Learning to Drive campaign.

The campaign has been launched by Secretary of State for Transport, Ruth Kelly, and its principal aim is to bring about a change in UK driving attitudes, mainly by ensuring young people become more aware of road safety issues and cultivate better attitudes towards driving in general.

Improved driver education lies at the core of the initiative being handled by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) for the Department for Transport. In turn, the DSA has brought in the SQA, using their expertise to design and implement educational material for youngsters aged 14-16. The campaign specifically aims to educate and inform young people on safe road and safe driving techniques before they actually get behind the wheel!

The fresh approach is part of the Government's plan to inform and educate road users towards better driver rather than restricting and legislating. This approach lies at the heart of the national Learning to Drive consultation from which the DSA will extract and put forward new guidelines to reform the GB driving test. The SQA summit is at the heart of this complex process designed to lead to an educational qualification in safe road use. As the educational aspects are agreed, it is hoped the first elements will be launched in Scotland by the end of 2008, followed by a roll-out to schools, colleges and youth training or pre-apprenticeship colleges in the rest of the country.

Rosemary Thew, chief executive of the Driving Standards Agency, said: "We believe we need a fresh cultural and educational approach to improving driving standards and we have consulted with experts to achieve this. I am confident that the end product from SQA and the DSA will give fresh insight into the trials and tribulations youngsters face when they first take to our busy roads."

Roderic Gillespie, from SQA, said: "We are looking forward to working in partnership with others to implement a Pre-Driver Qualification which will harness young people's enthusiasm and at the same time give them a qualification."

At the heart of the consultation is a micro-website launched by the DSA to encourage members of the public to leave their views on proposals. You can register your views on dsa.gov.uk/learningtodrive.