What the media says about me...

"the admirably independent minded Gordon Prentice"

Quentin Letts, Daily Mail, 12 February 2009

Lottery Award will jump start young driver safety training

Tags: driving | health care | Lottery | Press Release | safety

Tuesday, 02 September 2008 00:00

A £10,000 lottery grant awarded to Brierfield Action in the Community for young drivers has been welcomed by Pendle MP, Gordon Prentice. The MP said: “The money is being targeted at young people, who are most at risk of committing driving related offences. They will attend a series of workshops on safe driving, on how accidents happen, how to avoid collisions, and on the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The young people will hear from members of the police and ambulance services and see an accident scenario at a local fire station. They will also learn about car maintenance. “Earlier this year I raised in a debate at Westminster the terrible accident statistics amongst young drivers. A fifth of all new drivers have an accident within six months of passing their test, and a staggering 70 per cent. report near misses in the same period. On average, there are six times as many young male drivers killed as young women. “I firmly believe there should be conditional or graduated licences which would put restrictions on what a young driver can do until he or she passed the final test of competence. In the meantime courses such as the one being developed by Brierfield Action in the Community are doing a vital job."