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Driving tips for budding footballers

30/11/07

Budding footballers from Sunderland's AFC youth team have been receiving a different kind of training recently - the type that could help them keep their car insurance premiums intact.

Members of the team have been receiving advanced driver training as part of a four-month scheme open to all young drivers aged between 17 and 25 in the County Durham area, the Northern Echo reports.

Over the four months of the course, it is hoped that the training will reach up to 500 young motorists, making them safer drivers and potentially helping them to avoid car insurance claims.

According to the publication, the 17-25 age group accounts for 22 per cent of the county's driving population, but they are involved in 80 per cent of accidents in the area.

Durham County Council road safety section manager Alan Kennedy said: "Through this scheme, we intend to give young people the skills and know-how to enable them to drive in a safe and responsible manner every time they get behind the wheel."

Findings have shown that elsewhere, similar schemes have contributed to some young drivers being 50 per cent less likely to be involved in an accident.
The training sessions will be run every Saturday at Durham's County Hall until the end of March.

Back in 2005, a similar initiative was spearheaded by occupational risk company Drivetech, which teamed up with the Professional Footballers' Association to offer driver awareness courses to youth teams and trainees. Issues covered included driver fatigue and the effects of drugs and alcohol on driving ability.

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