Ford Australia’s free young driver training course returns with focus on night driving

Ford Australia has introduced a new free program designed to teach young drivers aged 16-24 skills for driving at night – as data shows novices are seven times more likely to be injured or killed on the road.

The free Driving Skills for Life program – run by Driving Solutions, and funded by Ford Australia – has been in operation in Australia since 2016, and overseas for two decades (since 2003).

However the 2023 edition in Australia – which will take place over at least four events in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland – is focused on teaching young drivers skills for driving at night.

L-plate, P-plate or fully-licensed drivers aged 16 to 24 receive training from expert instructors in closed conditions on emergency braking manoeuvres, steering, vision, driving position, cornering, and a "fatigue suit" intended to show the dangers of driving while sleep deprived.

Data cited by Ford Australia from the Victorian Government's Transport Accident Commission (TAC) shows P-plate drivers are seven times more likely to be injured or killed while driving at night, compared to fully-licensed drivers.

NSW Government data also shows fatigue accounts for about 20 per cent of road deaths in New South Wales, with the risk of a fatigue-related crash four times higher when driving "late at night or early in the morning".

Ford Australia says the training offered by Driving Skills for Life is not typically included in the instruction learner drivers receive before they are allowed to pass the test for a provisional licence.

The Driving Skills for Life 2023 program is free, and open to drivers aged 16 to 24 who hold a valid learner's permit, or provisional or full driver’s license.

The 2023 program is being conducted in Ford Ranger utes and Ford Everest four-wheel-drives – rather than smaller hatchbacks or SUVs – as they are more reflective of modern car-buying trends.

It will be held at Melbourne International Kart Raceway on Friday July 21, Sydney Motorsport Park on Friday August 18, in Lithgow, NSW on Saturday August 19, and further events in "regional" Queensland, with dates and locations still to be confirmed.

At the time of publishing, the Ford Driving Skills for Life website page shows the Sydney and Melbourne events have been booked out – though interested parties can join a waiting list in case of cancellations further up the queue – while there are 46 places available for the Lithgow event.

As of 25 May 2023, a Ford Australia representative told Drive it has 61 registered attendees for the Sydney event, with 18 on the waiting list. The Melbourne event has booked out its 50 allocated spots, but the company is working to add another 10 places for the 50 people on the waiting list.

The company is also considering expanding the schedule to include more Driving Skills for Life events later this year.

"What I see is kids who often have had very minimal night driving experience, and when you have difficult conditions – in the dark, when it’s raining, perhaps with friends in the car – and you combine that with less experience… it can make for a very dangerous situation," James Stewart, Director at Driving Solutions, said in a media statement.

"That’s what we want to tackle with Driving Skills For Life this year."