Year 12 Young Driver and Passenger Education Workshop

On Tuesday 12 March, Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service presented the Young Driver and Passenger  Education Workshop to Year 12 in association with Go Drive.

The purpose of the session was to encourage students to think harder about some of the decisions they would have to make as they begin to drive, or are a passenger in a car. The presentation used short films, discussion breaks and tasks to provide an interactive and thought provoking lesson to the sixth formers.

GoDrive is an interactive lesson which focuses on all the good decisions and positive behaviour students can put in place for themselves and others to ensure a long and healthy driving future. The session aims to leave students with a strong intention for good decision making, understanding and knowledge to help facilitate their safer road use.

GoDrive’s approach aligns with latest behavioural research showing that positively framed interventions which employ active learning strategies, such as group discussions and scenario-based learning, can be more effective than traditional methods.

The presentation combines a 50-minute film with four facilitated activities, covering 11 key road safety topics. Through the programme development and evaluation Students rated the intervention positively and the evaluation showed statistically significant beneficial road safety effects in several areas related to:

• Improved intentions for driving practice;
• Improved attitudes towards driving while fatigued;
• Greater willingness/likelihood to speak out as a passenger;
• Enhanced intentions for hazard perception practice; and
• Better risk perceptions regarding driving with multiple peer-aged passengers

Thank you to Mandy Pantall, of Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service for delivering an informative and thought provoking session.

More information may be found on the Go Drive website.