Initiative details
The key objective is to improve the safety of learner drivers and provide a safe driving environment in which learners can practice safe driving skills. In primary research undertaken in 2018, 31% of Advanced Driving Instructors (ADIs) surveyed agreed that the Essential Driver Training programme (EDT) in Ireland did not provide a safe driving environment for learner drivers. Although it is illegal, driving unaccompanied is regularly done by a large percentage of learner drivers. As part of Phase 1 of the Road Safety Strategy (RSS) 2021-2024 a goal has been set to eliminate unaccompanied driving in Ireland by Q4 2024. The Behaviours and Attitudes Survey (2019) found 39% of learner drivers drive unaccompanied. In 2022, 5,929 learner drivers received penalty points for driving unaccompanied.
Ireland has a population of 5.5 million people, on average per year we have 11 fatalities and 45 serious injuries from road collisions with drivers pre-test (2007-2021 data). 80% of fatal collisions involved learner drivers who were driving unsupervised, while 75% of serious injury collisions involved unsupervised learner drivers. We know from research undertaken that collisions involving learner drivers reduce by 80% whilst accompanied. No one should die while learning to drive.
Ireland has a population of 5.5 million people, on average per year we have 11 fatalities and 45 serious injuries from road collisions with drivers pre-test (2007-2021 data). 80% of fatal collisions involved learner drivers who were driving unsupervised, while 75% of serious injury collisions involved unsupervised learner drivers. We know from research undertaken that collisions involving learner drivers reduce by 80% whilst accompanied. No one should die while learning to drive.
Initiative date
Who was/is your target audience?
Policy makers
Public authorities
Young adults 17-25
Adults
Parents
Seniors
Car drivers
Car drivers – professional
Educational staff
Emergency services
Others
Topic
Create awareness
Education in school or in community organizations
Knowledge building and sharing
Provide alternative solutions
Training
Organisation details
LDSP Ireland CLG
Enterprise
Ireland
Leixlip, Co Kildare
Contact name
Cliodhna Jordan MSc MBA FCII
Telephone number
+353876747005
cliodhnajordan1@gmail.com
Website link
Project activities
If you work together with external partners, list the most important partners and briefly describe their role.
We are currently engaging with bodies in Australia, where LDMPs have been operational since 2000. These groups include, the LearnIt Programme, PCYC, Braking the Cycle Programme, and the Queensland Government. We also have several close academic contacts with the University of Adelaide, and the Royal Automobile Club (UK).
In Ireland, we are conversing with the Road Safety Authority, and the Department of Transport who have oversight for budget allocation to establish a pilot programme.
We have the support of the Professional Driving Instructors Association (PDIA) of Ireland, and are actively engaging with politicians, and other government bodies.
In Ireland, we are conversing with the Road Safety Authority, and the Department of Transport who have oversight for budget allocation to establish a pilot programme.
We have the support of the Professional Driving Instructors Association (PDIA) of Ireland, and are actively engaging with politicians, and other government bodies.
Please describe the project activities you carried/are carrying out and the time period over which these were implemented.
The Learner Driver Support Programme (LDSP) is designed to assist learner drivers in accessing a sponsor and vehicle so they can gain the 36-hours sponsor practice recommended during the completion of the EDT process. The programme is mirrored on Learner Driver Mentor Programmes (LDMPs) which emerged in Australia in the early 2000’s, as a social support strategy to assist young people to attain their driver’s licence. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naT3jgdeGMA.
In June 2022, we joined the Social Entrepreneurs Ireland (SEI) Ideas Academy to establish LDSP Ireland CLG. Subsequently we completed a Business course with Rethink Ireland in March 2023 to promote the Learner Driver Support Programme. We are members of the Wheel and our work was published by the ERSC in September 2023
https://road-safety-charter.ec.europa.eu/content/evaluation-learner-driving-process-ireland-category-b-0
We have been in continual contact with the Road Safety Authority (RSA) and have meet with the Department of Transport in Ireland to promote this Road Safety Initiative. From our road safety initiative we have established close contact with Policy Authorities and University groups in Australia. We have established a support group for parents and supervisors of learner drivers on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/207254728808968
In June 2022, we joined the Social Entrepreneurs Ireland (SEI) Ideas Academy to establish LDSP Ireland CLG. Subsequently we completed a Business course with Rethink Ireland in March 2023 to promote the Learner Driver Support Programme. We are members of the Wheel and our work was published by the ERSC in September 2023
https://road-safety-charter.ec.europa.eu/content/evaluation-learner-driving-process-ireland-category-b-0
We have been in continual contact with the Road Safety Authority (RSA) and have meet with the Department of Transport in Ireland to promote this Road Safety Initiative. From our road safety initiative we have established close contact with Policy Authorities and University groups in Australia. We have established a support group for parents and supervisors of learner drivers on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/207254728808968
In terms of implementation, what worked well and what challenges did you need to overcome?
Ireland has a culture of learners driving unaccompanied which reaches back over four decades. The biggest challenge for the Learner Driver Support Programme is to educate the people in Ireland that across Europe and the World, there are different methods of driver training and education which protect young and vulnerable learner drivers. We had interesting discussions with Social Entrepreneurs on the courses that we completed and were able to share the knowledge we had with people who were unaware of the high number of road collisions during the learning to drive process in Ireland.
We have a 10 minute presentation of the programme which we use as an information piece for interested bodies. This was combined with a Q&A session at the end of each presentation where we were able to gauge the understanding of the programme and areas that we needed to explain better.
One of our biggest challenges to overcome is the lack of knowledge of how people learn to drive in Europe and across the World. To date in Ireland driver training has remained unchanged since the implementation of the Essential Driver Training (EDT) in 2011. Despite the large number of fatalities and serious injury collisions involving unaccompanied learner drivers, there has been no successful action taken to remedy this situation.
We have a 10 minute presentation of the programme which we use as an information piece for interested bodies. This was combined with a Q&A session at the end of each presentation where we were able to gauge the understanding of the programme and areas that we needed to explain better.
One of our biggest challenges to overcome is the lack of knowledge of how people learn to drive in Europe and across the World. To date in Ireland driver training has remained unchanged since the implementation of the Essential Driver Training (EDT) in 2011. Despite the large number of fatalities and serious injury collisions involving unaccompanied learner drivers, there has been no successful action taken to remedy this situation.
Evaluation
Please summarise how you have evaluated the initiative’s impact (e.g. social media reach, survey, feedback forms, statistics).
In 2018, during primary research for my master’s dissertation, 205 drivers and 116 Advanced Driving Instructors participated in our survey.
Since establishing LDSP Ireland CLG, we have grown our Facebook followers to 92, with our Supporting your Learner Driver group hosting 66 members.
Our Twitter account has 75 followers, with Instagram growing to 105 followers. TikTok has 55 followers.
Our story was recently published in a local newspaper, The Dublin Enquirer. This article did not respond in any further feedback or contact, however, we are aware that the biggest challenge of our project is to start the conversation about the cultural change in how we train our new drivers in Ireland. https://dublininquirer.com/2024/05/08/a-new-programme-would-help-learner-drivers-get-their-practice-in-legally-and-more-safely-between-lessons/#:~:text=Facebook-,A%20new%20programme%20would%20help%20learner%20drivers%20get%20their%20practice,simply%20drive%20on%20their%20own
We anticipate that when a pilot programme is operational in Ireland, subject to Government funding, these figures will increase. An operational programme will provide us with the opportunity to highlight the stories of the volunteers accompanying the learner drivers and the learner driver’s journey to becoming full licence holders. The biggest challenge in this area to date, has been the lack of understanding of the benefits of supervising learner drivers as they practice on-road driving skills in a safe driving environment.
Since establishing LDSP Ireland CLG, we have grown our Facebook followers to 92, with our Supporting your Learner Driver group hosting 66 members.
Our Twitter account has 75 followers, with Instagram growing to 105 followers. TikTok has 55 followers.
Our story was recently published in a local newspaper, The Dublin Enquirer. This article did not respond in any further feedback or contact, however, we are aware that the biggest challenge of our project is to start the conversation about the cultural change in how we train our new drivers in Ireland. https://dublininquirer.com/2024/05/08/a-new-programme-would-help-learner-drivers-get-their-practice-in-legally-and-more-safely-between-lessons/#:~:text=Facebook-,A%20new%20programme%20would%20help%20learner%20drivers%20get%20their%20practice,simply%20drive%20on%20their%20own
We anticipate that when a pilot programme is operational in Ireland, subject to Government funding, these figures will increase. An operational programme will provide us with the opportunity to highlight the stories of the volunteers accompanying the learner drivers and the learner driver’s journey to becoming full licence holders. The biggest challenge in this area to date, has been the lack of understanding of the benefits of supervising learner drivers as they practice on-road driving skills in a safe driving environment.
What has been the effect of the activities?
As we have highlighted above, to date we have reached members of SEI, Rethink Ireland, The Wheel, PDIA, Department of Transport, Road Safety Authority, and politicians. The measure of reduction in collisions as a result of the implementation of LDSP will need a fully functioning pilot programme to be in operation to allow for the collection and analysis of data to be undertaken. Initially the impact will be seen at local level, and subject to review, will be rolled out nationwide.
In Australia, the programme has been in operation for over two decades, and funding is increasing year on year due to the success experienced from the programme. The success of the programme in Australia, includes the relationship between the volunteer and the learner driver. The learner driver learns valuable life skills from the volunteer who becomes a coach in other areas of their lives. The volunteer benefits from using their skills, and having a social outlet where they can make a new friend and feel valued. It has been noted in Australia, that many volunteers are choosing to dedicate a significant number of hours per week over and above what is required of them.
In Australia, the programme has been in operation for over two decades, and funding is increasing year on year due to the success experienced from the programme. The success of the programme in Australia, includes the relationship between the volunteer and the learner driver. The learner driver learns valuable life skills from the volunteer who becomes a coach in other areas of their lives. The volunteer benefits from using their skills, and having a social outlet where they can make a new friend and feel valued. It has been noted in Australia, that many volunteers are choosing to dedicate a significant number of hours per week over and above what is required of them.
Please briefly explain why your initiative is a good example of improving road safety.
In Ireland, we currently have 11 fatalities and 45 serious injuries from road collisions with drivers pre-test per annum (2007-2021 data). We know from research undertaken that collisions involving learner drivers reduce by 80% whilst driving accompanied.
Specifically for Ireland where unaccompanied driving is a huge problem, having community cars in the area will raise awareness of the importance of supervising learner drivers. From our research, many learners struggle to find someone to accompany them while they practice on-road driving. Many learner drivers also struggle financially with the cost of purchasing and insuring a vehicle to practice in. For any countries that have similar issues this initiative would provide a valuable and achievable solution.
Specifically for Ireland where unaccompanied driving is a huge problem, having community cars in the area will raise awareness of the importance of supervising learner drivers. From our research, many learners struggle to find someone to accompany them while they practice on-road driving. Many learner drivers also struggle financially with the cost of purchasing and insuring a vehicle to practice in. For any countries that have similar issues this initiative would provide a valuable and achievable solution.
How have you shared information about your project and its results?
Our project is published on the European Road Safety Charter Website https://road-safety-charter.ec.europa.eu/content/evaluation-learner-driving-process-ireland-category-b-0
However as this is an initiative and not yet operational, we are unable to provide outcomes from our significant work to date. As part of our Business Plan we have included the task of questioning learner drivers and volunteers of the impact participation in the programme has had for them.
However as this is an initiative and not yet operational, we are unable to provide outcomes from our significant work to date. As part of our Business Plan we have included the task of questioning learner drivers and volunteers of the impact participation in the programme has had for them.