Police have launched a road safety education programme to try to reduce crashes among young drivers.

Go Drive uses behavioural science to create an engaging one-hour session, featuring a 50-minute film and four interactive tasks.

It has been created through collaboration between Thames Valley Police and road safety organisations and partners across the south-east.

It aims to ultimately reduce road deaths by fostering safer driving attitudes and behaviour among young drivers.

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Government figures show that overall, in 2023, around a fifth of all killed or seriously injured casualties from collisions involving cars were in collisions which involved a young car driver.

Young male car drivers aged 17 to 24 are four times as likely to be killed or seriously injured compared with all car drivers aged 25 or over.

Academic research shows those that take part in Go Drive demonstrate significant improvements in the understanding of road risks, including driving while fatigued and the dangers of peer influence, said the force.

Go Drive, which will replace the long-standing Safe Drive Stay Alive initiative, is easy to deliver within schools, colleges, and community groups, making road safety education accessible to a wide audience.

The session requires minimal setup and uses interactive discussions to engage students directly.

Superintendent Mark Lewis, head of the Joint Operations Road Policing Unit, said: "Through collaboration with key safety partners, we’re making road safety more engaging and accessible for young people, ensuring they develop safer driving habits for life.

“Developing these habits is key to preventing harm and ultimately saving lives, creating safer and healthier roads for everyone to use.”