PUPILS at a York sixth form have been gearing themselves up for safer driving on our roads.

The teenagers, from Archbishop Holgate CE School’s sixth form, were visited by representatives from the Red Driving School as part of an activity day designed to educate them on the virtues of safe driving.

A driving simulator was set up in the main school car park, with staff from Red supervising students as they received 20 minutes of individual tuition. The aim was for the youngsters “behind the wheel” to spot hazards and avoid accidents.

Then the driving school’s road safety officer delivered a talk to all sixth-form students about safe driving and good driving attitudes.

The day marked the start of a partnership between the school and the business as part of a scheme which rewards outstanding school work with free driving lessons.

Pupil Eden Duggan, from Stillingfleet, said: “The experience and feeling of driving a car was very enjoyable, but I also feel grateful that we had a talk about the dangers of speed and were given an insight into how to drive safely in the future.”

Fellow sixth former Adam Dyson, from Osbaldwick, said: “We were taught the dangers of speed and how to avoid accidents.

“It was great to try something new and it encouraged me to learn how to drive safely.”

According to statistics, those aged between 17 and 24 are more likely to be involved in accidents than any other age group.

A spokesman for Red said: “As a driving school we think it is time to take action and believe we have a responsibility to get involved in helping educate young people before they even get into the driving seat and out on the road for real.”