Blacktown City Council Media Release - Taking The Stress Out Of Teaching Learner Drivers

MEDIA RELEASE

                                                                                                                                      6 July 2017

Blacktown City Council is taking action to make it easier for parents to teach their children how to drive.

Council has partnered with the RMS to deliver two driver safety workshops, to be held in Blacktown on July 17 and Mt Druitt on July 20.   

As a taxi driver with 45 years’ experience, Councillor Chris Quilkey knows how important it is young people learn how to drive safely from the get-go.

“We all know that drivers under 25 years are more likely to be involved in crashes than more experienced drivers,” he said.

“I myself have witnessed traffic crashes with young drivers who’ve done the wrong thing because they haven’t been taught how to drive properly.

“Anything that parents and supervisors can do to help their learner driver to be as safe as possible on the roads is also helping to make sure they make it home safely each time they go out. 

“No family wants to suffer trauma from a road crash.”

The theory-based workshop covers subjects including issues facing young drivers, lesson planning and how to deal with stress, and the importance of learner driver experience.

Cr Quilkey, who is chairman of Council’s Local Traffic Committee, said teaching a young person how to drive can be stressful for both parents and learner drivers.

“But it doesn’t have to be. By coming along to one of these free workshops parents can learn a few simple steps to make the process much easier for both supervisor and driver,” he said.

“It is also important for parents to be made aware of their own bad driving habits so that they don’t pass them on to their children.”

Andrew McKinnon from Rouse Hill took part in a Council-run driver instructor workshop last year with his 16-year-old son, Liam, and said it was very helpful.

“My son is just about to get his learner’s licence, so I thought it would be a good idea to go along to the workshop,” he said.

“The more information I have the better able I am to help him.”

The Blacktown workshop is on 17 July, 6.30pm-8.30pm at Max Webber Function Centre, cnr Flushcombe Rd and Alpha St, Blacktown.

The Mt Druitt workshop is on 20 July, 6.30pm-8.30pm, at the Mt Druitt Hub, Ayres Grove, Mt Druitt.

To make a booking or find out more call 9839 6014.