Youth driver training programme suspended

Youth driver training programme suspended for lack of funding

After training almost 50,000 young drivers over the past 15 years, the Prodrive Driver Education Programme run by MotorSport New Zealand and its member clubs has been suspended.

Lack of financial certainty meant we couldn’t provide our staff with the security they were entitled to expect.

The Prodrive Driver Education Trust, which was responsible for operations, has had fantastic support during the past two decades from Toyota New Zealand and Car Haulaways and many other great sponsors who have helped too, but we have not been able to replace some key cash funding which means we are unable to continue.

The programme, which was offered free to senior secondary school students, was devised by MotorSport New Zealand and driven mainly by John Osborne who, together with other staff over the years and car club members from around the country, have worked tirelessly to teach young drivers the skills of safe driving.

We know from all the letters and emails we have had over the years that there are thousands of young, and now not so young, drivers who learned practical driving skills in the programme that have helped them survive on our roads.

Driver education is a step away from the core business of MotorSport New Zealand but our members believed we could help young drivers learn the art of defensive driving and survival skills on the roads. That is no less relevant today than when we started 15 years ago, but without secure funding it would be irresponsible of the organisation and unfair to our staff to continue.

If, in the future, we can obtain secure funding then the suspension will be reviewed, in the meantime can we just thank everyone who has been involved over the past fifteen years for your contribution to the safety of our country’s fine young adults.

ENDS

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