Going from strength to strength and following a successful start to the academic year, Bishop Laney was pleased to introduce their new Year 12 students to ‘the crash car’. Working in partnership with Cambs Drive iQ, the bashed up Mini is a regular sight at the local Sixth Form centre, passing on an important message to their young road users and future drivers.
Lessons delivered at Bishop Laney Sixth Form by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Road Safety Partnership were literally a car crash last week… but no one was hurt, and these potential new drivers got an important lesson in road safety. The ‘Cambs Drive iQ’ programme provides young people with a virtual experience of different driving situations, preparing them to become better and safer drivers once they have passed their test. It improves the skills often neglected by young drivers, such as anticipating danger and risk management.
As part of the PLEDGES+ enrichment provision, Bishop Laney students were asked to complete modules on topics such as distractions, alcohol and drugs, seatbelts and thrill seeking, each taking about fifteen minutes. They were then taken on a tour of the crashed mini where reality hit home for many of them. This unique opportunity is evidence based and real world orientated, and the focus on peer pressure and keeping your friends safe struck a chord:
“I now know how to deal with passengers when I am the designated driver, getting them safely from A to B. The harsh reality is that one in five new drivers has a crash within 12 months of passing their test. I don’t want my friends to be involved in a crash and I know now, how to avoid one myself.” Caleb, 16 and studying Sport Science and Geography at Bishop Laney, commented “We need to look out for each other.” Even if students were not thinking about learning to drive soon, Cambs Drive iQ gave give them tips which could keep them safe as passengers.
The programme is now being operated in eighteen schools across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, with over 1,500 students signing up to take part. Bishop Laney is proud to have worked in partnership with Cambs Drive iQ from the beginning, providing its students year after year with an opportunity to be in the driver’s seat of this award-winning programme. Students have access to more than 120 video scenarios filmed on local roads in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
Adam Steels, Head of Bishop Laney Sixth Form commented “This platform engages with young people from the start, preparing them for the potential challenges they may face whilst driving. It’s a good way to influence attitudes towards driving in a classroom environment and should arm our young drivers with everything they need to know to stay safe on the roads. This is just one of the life skills we ensure our students leave us with, through our PLEDGES+ programmes.”
If you are a local Year 10 or Year 11 student thinking about your Post-16 destination, you can learn more about the opportunities Bishop Laney Sixth Form has on offer here: www.bishoplaney.org