PRI World Congress 2014“Role of Local Government and Municipalities in Improving Traffic Safety on Local and Regional Roads”

Skopje, 21-23 May 2014

Ready2goA new generation of driving schools

Antida Aversa

Nuccia Fedel

Valerio Vella

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The problem of young drivers

•Dealing with the problem of the high levels of crash risk experienced by young drivers should be a fundamental aspect of any initiative aiming at reducing traffic crashes and the resulting social and economic costs.

• Governments must make the fight against road deaths among young people a priority if they want to achieve the ambitious goals of the UN Decade for Road Safety, the EU 2020 road safety target and their national targets.

• Globally, young drivers are greatly over-represented in road crash fatality and injury statistics.

•About 140,000 young people (aged 15 – 30) were killed in road collisions in the EU27 over the 2001-2010 decade. On average, 1 young person’s death in 4 results from a traffic collision.

•The causes of this problem are related principally to inexperience and age.

•A major challenge remains in implementing appropriate countermeasures.

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Deaths and Injuries in road accidents in Italyby age group

2012

0,0

2,0

4,0

6,0

8,0

10,0

12,0

14,0

0 - 4

5-

910

-14

15 -1

9

20 -2

4

25 -2

9

30 -

34

35 -

39

40 -

44

45 -

49

50 -5

4

55 -5

9

60 -6

4

65 -6

9

70 -

74

75 -

79

80 -

84

85 -

89

90 -

94

95 -

99

Age Groups

%

DEATHS INJURIES

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Young drivers involved in road accidents in Italy

2012

Young Car Drivers Involved in Road Accidents (aged 18-25) % Absolute Value

TOTAL 35,403

of which: Unhurt 46.9 16,613

Injuries 52.6 18,633

Deaths 0.5 157

Involved every 10,000 young people 72.7

78,249 Young drivers (aged 18-29), of which 61% were responsible for the accident

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3 deaths and 2 serious injured, aged 19 - 21

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The project “Ready2go” of the Automobile Club of Italy (ACI)

• ACI has always promoted initiatives to disseminate the culture of road safety among road users, especially among young people with the aim to raise the awareness of road’s risks and to correct wrong behaviours

• “Ready2go” is a network of driving schools offering a high quality education through advanced methodology and technology

• The first “idea” of the project was born in 2009, set up and launch took 16 months including a pilot project conducted 6 month long with 9 driving schools

http://www.ready2go.aci.it/

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Getting a Car Driving Licence in Italy

• The process for obtaining an Italian driver's licence:• Theory test

• Obtain a learner's practice permit, after the theory test has been passed

• Practice driving

• Practical driving test

• 18 years

• suitable physical condition

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Aims of the project

1) to create a network of driving schools, scattered all over the country, which offer a high quality level of driving education.

2) to “build” more conscious drivers and more responsible citizens, providing learner drivers with specific technical tools useful to develop a culture of road safety

3) to reduce accidents and its consequent economic and social costs

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Main Advantages for learners• The Ready2Go network is unique within the field of Italian driving schools thanks to its innovative methods of learning.

• The Method:

Theoretical lessons (9 modules), developed to complement the theory program established by the Ministry of Transport

Special sessions with a driving simulator preceding the practical lessons, giving learners the possibility to practice before actually driving on road

Practical lessons, including a specific training in an equipped road area, closed to traffic (emergency braking, slalom between cones, etc. )

• ACI's new project "1,500 young drivers Ambassadors of road safety”: in 2014, 1,500 drivers (who obtained the driving licence with a Ready2go school) may attend a free course carried out at ACI and Sara Safe Driving Centre in Vallelunga (near Rome).

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Program of the R2G Method: 9 Theoretical Modules

1. Causes of accidents

2. Drivers and driving behaviours

3. Vehicle safety systems

4. Tyres and controls on vehicles

5. Management of dangerous situations (safe driving)

6. Eco-driving

7. Responsible driving (defensive driving)

8. Responsibility and penalties

9. Two-wheeled vehicles module

The driving simulator• is an innovative and exclusive didactic tool among Italian driving schools

• helps students to learn in safety conditions the correct driving techniques, the synchronous and automatic gestures that each motorist usually learns with experience

• allows students at their very first practice lesson to pay greater attention to the road

• At the end of the session with simulator the student will see a report indicating all eventual violations committed and the total number of licence points deducted according to the highway code.

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Program of the R2G Method: 2 Practical Modules

1) “Practical driving” module: a. Driving under different conditions and along different routes:

- Driving on freeways (Get in and out of a road, position on the carriageway, Overtaking, Keeping and changing the safety distance)

-Driving under poor visibility conditions (Lightning equipment, Protection from dazzlement)

- Driving under heavy traffic conditions (changing lanes, roundabouts) - Passing through tunnels (speed regulation, position on the carriageway,

observing road signs, traffic lights, exit ways)

b. Defensive driving:- Careful observation of the context and speed regulation- Wide and concentrated attention

c. Eco-driving:Using gears and exploiting engine flexibility, smooth and preventive driving

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Program of the R2G Method: 2 Practical Modules

2) “Driving test” module

Exercises carried out in a specific area, closed to traffic, properly equipped and involving a group of learners:

· Checking of correct driving position

· Slaloming between cones at different speed

· ABS braking and ASR starting off

· Daily vehicle checks

· Tyre replacement

· Installing snow chains

· Braking distance at different speeds

· Management in case of an accident

· Simulation of drunk driving effects

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The network Ready2go Driving Schools

Operative driving schools 154

Driving schools not yet operative

177

Young people trained 35,000

Equipped driving test areas 350

Promotional events 400

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1,500 young drivers “Ambassadors of road safety”

The project aims at offering safe driving courses, free of charge, addressed to 1,500 young drivers who attended a course in a Ready2go driving school, to spread the values of responsibility and prudence while driving and the observance of the Highway Code among their families, friends and groups they live in.

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Conclusions

• Since July 2010, the results obtained in Italy are encouraging.• There is a growing interest in this innovative method of learning

demonstrated by the increasing number of subscription to Ready2Go driving schools, by the various partnerships drawn up with important stakeholder, and by the attempts of competitors to reproduce somehow the method.

• The Ready2Go students proved eager and enthusiastic to learn “new” concepts related to road safety and try out advanced methods of learning.

• In 2013 90% of students appreciated Ready2Go favorably or very favorably and 98% would recommend it to friends.

• Ready2go together with the new Project “1.500 young drivers Ambassadors of road safety” could give an important contribution to the reduction of road accidents as the Austrian experience already demonstrated.

Thank you