Driving instructors in Greater Manchester have criticised GMCA’s Vision Zero Fund for not being available to their sector.
They argued the city-region’s ambition to end all traffic fatalities and life-changing injuries in Greater Manchester is futile as long as driving instructors’ knowledge and experience are not taken into account.
It comes after the GMCA last week launched a £1million fund, available only to partners of Safer Roads Greater Manchester Partnership, such as local councils and emergency services.
Driving instructor Joe Bangudu, owner of Uncle Joe’s Driving School in Manchester, said his industry is often “overlooked” when calls are made for road safety improvements.
He said: “It starts with us. Nobody is born a driver so it can’t be overemphasised how important our driving lessons are in minimalising road collisions.”
Driving with ‘sanity’
Bangudu said he wishes the fund and its projects were available to driving instructors, particularly those involving drink or drug driving.
In December 2023, Greater Manchester Police made 507 arrests for drink or drug driving offences.
In a press release last week Chief Inspector Michael Parker, from the Safer Transport Team, said: “We will be relentless in pursuing those who put lives at risk by driving under the influence.
“Our officers witness first-hand the devastating aftermath of drink and drug driving collisions; they are entirely preventable.”
Bangudu welcomed the emergency services’ measures to tackle drink and drug driving, such as the Save Drive Stay Alive (SDSA) project, but argued that the event should be mandatory for all new drivers.
Every year, SDSA invites colleges and youth groups to attend an emotive performance consisting of short films and speeches from each of the emergency departments as well as presentations by people who have lost loved ones in road traffic collisions.
“I don’t want to go into legislation”, Bangudu said, adding: “but I do think it would help to legislate new drivers to attend events such as these.”
They are vital in influencing people to “drive with their sanity”, he said.
Legislative change
Driving instructor Jacqui McCreavey, who established Let’s Learn School of Motoring in 2009, said legislative change is the only thing that will improve the safety on our roads.
She said: “Stop giving full licences. We need a two-tier system, like Australia.”
Getting a driving licence in Australia involves gradually progressing through a series of stages – the learner’s permit, the P1 provisional licence and the P2 provisional licence – until you qualify for a full licence.
Driving with more than one passenger aged 16 to 20 years and driving between midnight and 5am is not allowed until you hold a P2 licence.
Such restrictions would improve the safety on Greater Manchester’s road, McCreavey said.
She said the main culprits of speeding and dangerous driving are “young, male drivers”.
“They’re driving like lunatics!”, she said.
McCreavey doesn’t think £1 million will change anything.
“They can’t end all road deaths. It’s overambitious”, she said.
Like Bangudu, she expressed frustration over the lack of cooperation between the local authorities and her industry.
She said: “We are never brought into the equation. It’s like we’re second class.”
The GMCA has been contacted for a comment.
Main image courtesy of driving instructor Joe Bangudu
