The Young Driver Development Program (YDDP) has been helping to make WA Roads safer since 1998.

YDDP offers pre-learners, “L” and “P” plate drivers, the chance to feel safer and more confident on the roads by teaching basic driving skills and car maintenance; how to identify risky driving behaviour; how to interact with others on the road; how to identify and avoiding road risks; ways to reduce driving and lifestyle fatigue; and offering parents and mentors an active role in young drivers’ educations.

So far, 3,500 young people have benefitted - but Program Coordinator Susie Delaporte is aiming to take the positive impact of the initiative even further.

“It’s hard for young people to get enough supervised practise on the road,” Susie said. “This mean that young people are driving unlicensed as a result, which makes everyone more unsafe.”

To help bridge this gap, the YDDP are working towards starting a new supervised driver initiative, based on the Regional Youth Driver Education (RYDE) program.

“It’s about volunteers helping young people get supervised driving practise,” Susie said.

“This next program will fill that gap where kids have had a few driving lessons, but they struggle to get the hours up.

“We’re also looking to improve the existing program, using the best evidence and practise around the world.”

If you want to help support this lifesaving initiative, you can contact Volunteers South West about becoming a supervised driving instructor, or book a course through Sticky Tickets.
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You can also help to get the program into your local area by telling your kid’s high schools about the program, and saying you want it as a parent.