Error parsing XSLT file: \xslt\FacebookOpenGraph.xslt Graham Hurdle's blog: 25 March 2011 - Who's to blame for new driver crash?
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Graham Hurdle's blog: 25 March 2011 - Who's to blame for new driver crash?

Date: 25 March 2011

Graham Hurdle is managing director of E-Training World

There has been some discussion recently about the standard of newly qualified drivers and the fact that they are not equipped to drive for the business sector.

In a perfect world all new drivers would be able to drive at an advanced level, but this isn't a perfect world! Learner drivers have always and will always want just enough lessons to get them through the basic driving test.

So who is to blame for the low standards of driving often displayed by new drivers? The answer isn't simple; in fact it doesn't rest with any group. Let's take a look at the process of learning to drive and passing the test.

Learners actually start to learn to drive very early in life - in fact from about the age of 2 years old a child is learning from their parents or guardians.

If you are an aggressive driver and you have a child, you should expect your child to become an aggressive driver. When he or she fails the driving test, you will probably blame either the professional instructor or the examiner, but it might be at least partly your fault.

Your son or daughter has now reached 17 years old and wants to learn to drive. You passed your test back in the 1980's or 1990's with just a few lessons from an Approved Driving Instructor but decide to save a few quid and give the first handful of few lessons yourself followed by a quick ring around to find the cheapest Driving School so that they can do the final preparations for their test.

Having scraped through their basic 'L' test, the driver is legal and ready for the open road.

But of course this new driver knows nothing about safe driving because they haven't been trained enough.

So why is it as a nation that we expect pilots, doctors, even IT professionals to take continued professional development training but we expect a person who has a driving licence (in some cases those who don't have a driving licence) to be able to drive any type of vehicle in their class of licence, carrying any type of load in any type of conditions.

In the corporate environment, many companies employ graduates straight out of university, give them sales training and a new company car, and send them out onto the road having simply checked their driving licence at the interview.

Is it any wonder that within the first few weeks that accident statistics are higher for young drivers?

But in this scenario, what did the company overlook?

Firstly, when was the last time the new employee drove a car? The answer might be on their driving test before they went to university as many can't afford a car at Uni and spend 3 - 4 years using public transport.

Secondly, what was the last car they drove? Most likely a small low powered car and certainly not the high powered 'rep-mobile'.

Thirdly, have they ever driven on any road other than a test route or just around their local area?

Probably not!

So if you are a manager looking to place the blame for the standard of driving of your new drivers, you could blame the parents or even the Driving Standards Agency, (after all they set the standards) Or perhaps the professional driving instructors? But they don't set standards or make the laws.

Or you could blame yourself and make some changes to stop it happening again.

In the MOD, every service man or women that passes their basic driving test is not allowed to drive any military vehicle until they have received training on that vehicle.

Maybe something similar should be encouraged in the fleet sector. Try it. You may find it will reduce your operating costs and your accidents.

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