Over 100 young drivers in Caithness receive police road safety inputs as part of New Driver Scheme

Road Policing Officers in Highland and Islands have this week provided education and awareness raising inputs to over 100 apprentices employed by Dounreay Site Restoration Limited (DSRL) in Caithness.

The New Driver Early intervention Scheme is targeted towards new and young drivers aged between 17-25 years of age, who are statistically more likely to be involved in a collision, and aims to raise awareness of road safety and influence road user behaviour.

On Monday 25 and Tuesday 26 October 2021, 15 seminars were delivered to employees from Dounreay Site Restoration Limited (DSRL) in Caithness. Over the two days a total of 103 young apprentices received awareness raising sessions from Road Policing Constable’s Shaun Knox and Malcolm Cameron.

Speaking about the educational sessions, Road Policing Constable Shaun Knox said: “These inputs are valuable in influencing driver behaviour in young and new drivers and working in partnership with DSRL, has allowed us to deliver this scheme to a large number of their apprentices.

“Being able to share our first hand experiences of dealing with serious and fatal road traffic collisions, these inputs give us an opportunity to reinforce the message about how easy it can all go wrong on the roads.

“The scheme aims to impact on the way these young drivers will now think when getting behind a steering wheel, remembering that they are not only in control of their lives but their passengers’ lives, and the lives of other road users as well.

“The feedback that we have received since launching the scheme continues to be really positive and we’re keen to engage with as many young and new drivers to influence how they drive, with an overall view to keeping everyone safe on our roads.”

Dounreay Site Restoration Limited’s Apprentice Training Manager Carol Robertson said: “DSRL are delighted to have joined with Police Scotland Road Policing Unit to deliver the new Driver Early Intervention Scheme to our younger employees.

“Living in a rural location means that our young people are more reliant on their vehicles than perhaps their counterparts in the central belt, and anything we can do to help them be safer on the roads, reflect on their driving habits, and hopefully reduce the number of road traffic incidents is of huge benefit. “

For further information on the New Driver Scheme or to request an input delivered within your organisation or community group please contact NewDriverScheme@scotland.pnn.police.uk