Mercedes opens kids’ driving school to cut young premiums
Car maker Mercedes is striking a deal with a motor insurer to offer reduced premiums to young drivers who have been to its £40 an hour driving academy that is open to pre-teen children, the Times reports.
Children as young as 12, or over 1.5m tall can attend the new driving school, launched because the UK lets teenagers drive cars with less training than in most major European nations.
Campaigners also want a graduated licence scheme.
What this means new drivers:
- forbidden to carry other young passengers (who are more likely to distract)
- banned from motorways
- must follow lower speed limits
- zero-alcohol rule
After 12 months some countries bring young drivers back in for a further assessment to wipe out bad habits and offer extra tuition to those found wanting. In Austria and Sweden, graduated licence schemes have caused dramatic drops in accidents involving new drivers.
