Young drivers passing up training chance
Young drivers in Rutherglen and Cambuslang are shunning a scheme designed to make them better drivers.
South Lanarkshire Council set up their Pass Plus road initiative in 2007 to assist newly qualified drivers gain experience and develop skills.
But so far this year it is anticipated just eight drivers in the two towns will have taken up the offer.
And just a handful of when he was tragically killed by a runaway digger on Fernhill Road in May.
On July 9, Campbell McLuckie was struck by a car on Cambuslang Main Street while riding his mobility scooter.
And in November a 42-yearold man died after being struck by a car in the Shawfield area of Rutherglen.
Serious injuries include a teenager who was victim of an alleged hit and run in Fernhill in January. In the same month, a father and son were struck on Glasgow Road after leaving a wedding reception.
Despite the increase Rutherglen and Cambuslang remain the safest places in terms of road accidents in South Lanarkshire.
The total of 364 incidents since the start of 2013 is dwarfed by the 946 on Hamilton roads and 666 in participants over the last four years have been from Rutherglen and Cambuslang.
Figures obtained by the Reformer show just 10 of the 105 drivers who used the scheme in 2015/16 were from Rutherglen or Cambuslang.
In 2014/15 150 people used Pass Plus across the region, but only 13 were from the local area, and in 2013/14 that figure was just 12.
In comparison, the numbers taking the scheme from East Kilbride and Clydesdale Clydesdale.
In East Kilbride over the past four years there has been 505 accidents recorded.
Across South Lanarkshire 18 people lost their lives on the roads last year, the highest number since 2009.
However, the total number of accidents has fallen below 500 for the first time.
Councillors met to discuss the regional picture last Monday and were told the figures were “clearly disappointing” and that yearon- year reductions will become harder to achieve as they look to meet Scottish Government targets.
Head of South Lanarkshire Co u n c i l’s roads and transportation services, Gordon Mackay, said: “The road accident casualty statistics for 2016 show that the overall number of casualties in South Lanarkshire reduced regularly exceed 30 per cent of the total, with roughly a quarter coming form Hamilton.
Since the scheme was introduced, the number of accidents involving drivers between the ages of 17 and 25 has fallen by 56 per cent, ahead of the 36 per cent overall drop.
A meeting of the council’s roads safety forum last week heard that 64 people had taken advantage of the scheme so far in 2016/17, with that number expected to rise to 80.
A subsidy of £75 towards the slightly from the previous year. However, it was disappointing to see that there was a rise in fatal, serious and child serious casualty national target categories.
“Notwithstanding this we remain on track to meet the Scottish Government’s targets for 2020.
“Any accident that results £140 cost of Pass Plus aims to encourage more young drivers to take up the offer.
Head of South Lanarkshire Co u n c i l ’ s ro ad s and transportation services, Gordon Mackay, said:“The Pass Plus initiative has continued to attract newly qualified drivers as it enhances their driving skills.
“Since the initiative began in 2007 over 1700 drivers have undertaken the course.
“Feedback from those who have completed the course is extremely positive as they in injury is one accident too many, but the continued downward trend reflects the amount of work that we have carried out over the past 10 years to make our roads safer.
“We appreciate there are still many challenges ahead but will continue to do everything we can to improve road safety for all users.” consider it helps to improve their driving behaviour and attitudes, provides motorway driving skills as well as helping get cheaper insurance.”
“While the number participating in Pass Plus varies from year to year, around 10 per cent of the overall numbers originate from the Rutherglen and Cambuslang area. This compares to roughly 30 per cent in each of the other areas in South Lanarkshire such as Hamilton, East Kilbride and Clydesdale.”