The Pathfinder Initiative is operated by The Under 17 Car Club Charitable Trust aiming to reduce the number of deaths and injuries amongst vulnerable novice drivers. While nationally 1 in 4 drivers aged 17-24 experiences a reportable accident (death, injury or damage to property) in their first 12 months on the road, for participants in the Pathfinder Initiative that is reduced to 1 in 17, a substantial improvement. The Pathfinder Initiative develops thinking young drivers, developing their understanding of road risk and how to manage it through a combination of attitudinal development, driving theory and practice.
The latest available statistics show that 20 drivers were killed and 214 seriously injured on the roads of Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin during 2017. Young drivers are typically overrepresented in these numbers being involved in 16% of Killed and Seriously Injured accidents but being only 8% of licence holders.
The Pathfinder Initiative was established in 2007 and thanks to sponsorship from John Campion, West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner, is now available to young people from Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin at a cost of only £185 (additional bursaries may be provided to qualifying candidates). We have 36 places available at our event from 28th October- 1st November at Seighford (just over the border in Staffordshire) and are keen to extend this opportunity to rising 17s across Shropshire.
Further information about Pathfinder, including a host of FAQs, can be found here: www.under17driver.co.uk
You can contact us by email: admin@under17driver.co.uk or telephone on 07786 510060 if there is anything you’d like to discuss.
For more information about the impact of what we do, you can download our recent survey report
This has recently been taken in evidence by the House of Commons Select Transport Committee for its current inquiry into Road Safety. The Under 17 Car Club Charitable Trust offers the only young driver programme accredited by IAM Roadsmart (Institute of Advanced Motorists).
We look forward to welcoming pupils from across Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin in October.
