LOCAL Assembly Member, Joyce Watson, got behind the wheel at a pioneering Pembrokeshire-based Driving Academy in a bid to learn more about how the initiative is helping young people in the county stay safe on the roads.The AM visited Pembrokeshire Show Ground to try out the only Skid Car System in Wales available to the public.
Skid Car is the latest innovation at Go For It Driving School, which last year teamed up with Pembrokeshire College to create an innovative Academy. The Go For It Pembrokeshire College Driving Academy is the first of its kind in Wales and offers free tuition to all students.
Joyce said:
“Driving the Skid Car is a safe way to experience what it’s like to skid and lose control of your car.
“At first it was very difficult because what you have to do can be counter-intuitive—like turning the wheel the wrong way. But Mike was an excellent teacher and I eventually got the hang of it.
“I do a lot of driving every week, travelling to and from my home in Haverfordwest and the Assembly in Cardiff Bay, so while I hope I never have to put into practice what I’ve learnt in the Skid Car, I feel safer knowing that I have had this experience.”
The Pembrokeshire College Academy is the brain-child of instructors Mike Hughes (pictured) and John Llewellyn. They were driven by the belief that the only way to reduce accidents and make Pembrokeshire roads safer was to establish a centre of excellence where young drivers could learn the skills they needed to become safer drivers.
Joyce added:
“In 2007 there were 8,340 personal injury road accidents in Wales and 1,402 people were killed or seriously injured as a result of these. Pembrokeshire’s roads can be challenging, especially for new and inexperienced drivers, so initiatives like this Academy are extremely important.
“I hope other colleges in Wales will look to follow Pembrokeshire’s example. I think it’s a model that really could help reduce road traffic accident casualties and deaths on our roads.”
To learn more about Go For It Driving School visit www.goforitdrivertraining.co.uk
To contact Joyce go to www.joycewatson.co.uk or call 029 2089 8614
Pictured: Joyce Watson AM and Mike Hughes, Go For It driving instructor
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