For parents of teenagers - and all drivers

Today we had Dr Robert Isler of Waikato Uni talking to us as part of a neurology session. He has an interest in driver behaviour and what makes good and bad drivers and how to make them better. Really interesting!

Anyway, he has a website www.edrive.co.nz which is an evidence based, NZ online driver training site. Its for drivers once they are licenced. Robert is the person who developed those video training session posted when the new give way rules were happening: www.lifestyleblock.co.nz/lsb-forum/showthread.php?t=32074

There is a cost for some people but it is FREE for 16 - 19 year olds. Parents: get your teenagers signed up and get them doing this. It is a proven method of reducing risk and increasing driver skill.

The more people who use the site, the better they can make the training.

He says that people learn far better from videos and interaction than from diagrammes. He used one of the questions from the give way sessions to show how it worked. Ran the video through and asked if we had to give eway or not. I remembered the video and so said "watch out for the cyclist" No one had seen the cyclist!!!!!

Go for it everyone.

Total congratulations to Dr Isler on that video and it certainly helped me. The problem is that we can teach the Road Rules (and all for that) but it is not taking into account the testosterone of young male drivers who when challenged to a race lose the planet of reason. Not meaning to pick on males but remembering the issues my girl's friends faced when newish drivers, having passed their Full Licences.

One of my girls had a horrific accident and that was caused by a guy in his 50's turning across her path. It is not all about the young ones by any means with the immigrant population on our roads who can't even speak English but get their Licences using interpreters. Nor am I blaming them! My vote would be for advanced driving training on a race track and let them (part of the Licence) feel and learn how fast things can turn to custard. Certainly hit my daughter's hard (second was a passenger) in their accident. Testosterone...well....

Totsl congratulations to Dr Isler on that video and it certainly helped me. The problem is that we can teach the Road Rules (and all for that) but it is not taking into account the testosterone of young male drivers who when challenged to a race lost the planet of reason. Not meaning to pick on males but remembering the issues my girl's friends faced when newish drivers having passed their Full Licences.

One of my girls had a horrific accident and that was caused by a guy in his 50's turning across her path. It is not all about the young ones by any means with the immigrant population on our roads who can't even speak English but get their Licences using interpreters. Not am I blaming them! This is just too broad an issue to be saying it is a youth issue. My vote would be for advanced driving training on a race track and let them feel and learn how fast things can turn to custard. Certainly hit my daughter's hard (second was a passenger) in their accident. Testosterone...well....

That's why the training from the edrive site is so effective - it teaches drivers to look for and be aware of possible hazards. There are all sorts of videos - they drove all over NZ recording videos to use as training media.

He also showed some ads which are being used overseas to increase driver safety - one of them specifically addressed young men's testosterone - in a very funny but also clear way.

I have two teenagers booked in to go for their Learners in early October - so will show this to them