Two thirds of parents think driving should be on school curriculum

It’s been revealed that two thirds of parents think that driving should be part of the school curriculum.

That’s according to the UK’s largest under 17-year-old driver training scheme, Young Driver, who asked 2,700 parents and grandparents if they felt students should learn about driving skills and awareness in schools.

The research also found that 67 per cent of parents supported the idea of having graduated driving licences, which puts a set of restrictions on new drivers for an initial period of time, but a further 23 per cent said that graduated licenses wouldn’t be necessary if young drivers were properly educated.

In the UK, one in five new drivers will have a crash within the first six months after passing their test, but some have argued that making driving part of the school curriculum could reduce accidents.

Jo Lawrence, vice principal at Vice Chamberlain sixth form college, said: “Too many young lives are lost on our roads each year. Giving students the chance to learn about safe driving helps equip them with vital skills and awareness that could one day save lives. We would very much welcome seeing this kind of opportunity available more widely in schools and colleges.”

Young Driver allows children aged between nine and 16 years old to get behind the wheel of a vehicle with a qualified driving instructor, to help them gain experience before heading out on the road for real.