Supporting young drivers' road safety

Young drivers are more likely to be killed or injured on the road than older drivers, but assisting them to improve their ability to spot and predict hazards can help them to better avoid danger.

That is why Reed in Partnership is supporting an innovative project that harnesses technology to support young learner drivers, in partnership with leading road safety experts, local councils and emergency services.

Developed by Esitu Solutions, a spinout from Nottingham Trent University, this new virtual reality (VR) course is the first of its kind to have been developed for young drivers. Delivered via VR headsets, the course safely places users in immersive virtual reality experiences that provide lifelike driving simulations to test, analyse and ultimately increase hazard perception.

The course is based on academic research conducted at Nottingham Trent University and sponsored by The Road Safety Trust. Reed in Partnership were really pleased to sponsor its rollout this summer as an additional module to the Bedfordshire Road Safety Partnership’s road safety course for young people.

Professor David Crundall from Nottingham Trent University, said:

“We found from our research that it’s much more realistic if we place people in a full 360˚ simulation of the world and get you to spot hazards in that way.”

Mia, one of the young drivers who took part in the VR pilot, said:

“I’ve never done anything like that before, and I thought it was just so realistic. I actually felt like I was in my own car.”

Simon Mitchell, Divisional Director for our Reed Assessment division, said:

“We think it’s important to work in partnership with local authorities, the emergency services, and young people themselves in order to increase road safety for young people.

“It is vital that we play our part in helping to reduce road deaths by making our roads safer. Digital tech can play a huge role in this – it presents an innovative opportunity for young drivers to test and increase their hazard perception without compromising their safety.”

Please watch our video below to find out more about the pilot. From October, the VR-based package will also be rolled out to some school sixth forms in Bedfordshire. Esitu will continue to refine and evaluate the training and will share their findings at the end of the year.

Since 2021, Reed in Partnership has delivered almost seven million driving theory tests on behalf of the DVSA: helping to keep our roads safe via rigorous and secure testing is at the top of our agenda.