Police and Crime Commissioner Rupert Matthews has welcomed the positive impact of a pre-test safety course for novice drivers which is helping to reduce collisions and save young lives.
The Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Police and Crime Commissioner provides funding to The Under 17 Car Club Charitable Trust to support the delivery of its Pathfinder educational programme in the county.
The intensive, one-week driving course is available for 15 to 17-year-olds, and equips young drivers with essential road safety skills before they obtain their full driving license, increasing their confidence and competence before they venture on to the roads.
New figures show Pathfinder drivers are involved in significantly fewer road collisions than their peers and have fewer convictions. They also perform better in their driving tests than those who have not completed the course.
The Pathfinder Survey 2024, conducted in collaboration with Loughborough University, compared safety data involving former Pathfinder graduates over 20 years against national statistics and found:
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One in 20 (5%) Pathfinder graduates were involved in a collision in their first year compared to the national average of one in five (20%)
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Only eight per cent of Pathfinder graduates had a driving conviction compared to a national average of 24%
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56% of Pathfinder graduates passed the DVSA Practical Test on their first attempt – outperforming the national average of 47% - while 78% of Pathfinder students passed their theory test first time which is significantly higher than the national average. 83%, meanwhile, passed their Hazard Percept Test first time – again higher than the average nationally.
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88% of Pathfinder graduates said the course made them a better driver and 86% said it made them safer on the road.
More information on the next Pathfinder course in Leicestershire can be found at https://under17driver.co.uk/event/leicestershire-jul25/.
Commenting on the survey, Commissioner Rupert Matthews said: “I welcome this data which proves that investment in education truly does save lives and reduce collisions on our roads.
“We know that young drivers are at heightened risk of being involved in a collision in their first year through a combination of inexperience, overconfidence and risk-taking behaviours. Globally, road collisions are a leading cause of death among young people and the main cause among those aged 15 to 29.
“We must seize every opportunity to reinforce important safety messages and develop a safer driving culture on our roads. This means investing in education to enable young drivers to prepare for the responsibility of driving and understand the risks and consequences of poor decision-making, especially where speeding is concerned.
“Excess speed and the inability to correctly judge other drivers’ speed are strong contributory factors in collisions among young people and the earlier we endorse safe behaviour the better. This is why the scheme is deliberately pitched at those who have yet to take a test.
“Road safety matters to everyone in our county and it matters to me. I hope by continuing to support this project we will help to keep our roads safe for all road users.”
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Posted on Tuesday 17th June 2025