Safe not Sorry - Under-age Drivers in the Hot Seat.

‘Where to now?’

‘I'm going for another burn up the main drag’ answered my 15 year old, manoevring my elderly but loved Citroen Zantia expertly across a roundabout.

A week ago I wouldn’t have believed that I could be flicking through a magazine in the passenger seat whilst my well-under-age son drove at 60 miles an hour on a busy road. I’m not sure I believe it now. But it happened. All thanks to Pathfinders.

Pathfinders is a joint initiative by the police, the district council and the Under 17 Car Club. When several organisations come together with a single, clear agenda, you know it's likely to a good one.

‘Car crashes are the single leading cause of death among 18-21 year old males’ we were told bluntly on our first day. ‘And these males are the single leading cause of death among 18-21 year old females, who are in the passenger seats at the time’

Pathfinders aims to get ‘em young, male and female alike. Rather than just scaring them stiff with statistics, the project channels their enthusiasm by teaching them to drive safely and sensibly, well before they can legally hit the highway.

I signed up to this, the second year of Pathfinders, to give my petrolhead child a flying start, remembering how long it took me to pass my driving test (don’t ask). I knew that as an ‘associate’ I would be required to attend alongside him. I didn’t realise quite how exhausting this would be.

For five days, after an extensive initial briefing, fifty parents and teenagers were let loose off-road on a disused airfield, negotiating elaborate road systems created from traffic cones

The first hour or so was absolutely terrifying. Suddenly, my son and I were alone together in my car, and it was up to me to tell him what happened next. Somehow, drawing on my sketchy memories of driving lessons, we got the car started and crept bravely around the complicated track, monitored at a discreet distance by teams of AA driving instructors and marshals.

Almost immediately, a red Nissan Micro leapt through a fence, narrowly missing an instructor, and we felt much braver (we came to learn that small red cars, invariably driven by beautiful, leggy girls with amazing tie-dyed hair, need plenty of space).

We had made it to second gear, and were wildly contemplating third, when we were waved down by an instructor.

‘We thought you might be struggling’ he said, taking my place in the passenger seat.

‘We weren’t struggling’ I said huffily ‘we were learning’

Over the week we both learned lots. I learned that my knowledge of the Highway Code is woefully outdated and that my son is a really nice bloke. The hands-on nature of the course provides a real bonding experience – if only because it reminds teenagers that there’s stuff you can still do better than them.

My son learnt to parallel park (something which took me years) reverse around corners, negotiate chicanes, and remove crumpled plastic cones from the undercarriage of the Citroen.

The week was well structured – a mixture of short, punchy lectures, driving lessons, set tasks, theory and special events, including trips in a police car and speed trials. Everything felt very safe and professional, fun but without condescension.

The Under17 Car Club Volunteers who created and manage the event must take credit for this. Men in their fifties who clearly never grew out of Top Gear, they made charismatic presenters, combining firmness and common-sense with adolescent enthusiasm.

The marshals, Car Club graduates in their late teens but mature beyond their years, were calm and authoritative. Like the one who flagged us down, took away my magazine and reminded me that I was meant to be supervising.

‘Mu-um, he’s in my Sixth Form’ groaned my son, sliding into the foot-well with embarrassment.

I would have loved my son to join the Under-17 Car Club itself but - get this - he’s already too old. Membership starts at 12.

At £100, for which you also get an impressive array of freebees, from mugs to driving handbooks, Pathfinders is clearly subsidised.

Does it work? Research to establish how much safer Pathfinders graduates actually are as legal drivers is underway. If the results are as expected, it’s hoped that the project will roll out nationally. It could save a lot of lives.

It’s certainly a lot of fun.

The Pathfinders Project currently runs October Half Term Holidays in South Warwickshire). Details from the Under 17 Car Club http://www.under17-carclub.co.uk/

-----------------------