in error or a lapse in concentration + a violation = a crash.

Maths may not be your strong point but, according to Michael McDonnell, director of Road Safety Scotland, this is one of the simplest and most important equations to remember. It could even save your life.

To simplify, an error is a mistake behind the wheel, while a violation is anything that breaks the law, like speeding or not wearing your seat belt. The outcome needs no explanation.

This equation is relevant to all drivers, but the shocking number of accidents involving young people means it is something that less experienced motorists can’t afford to ignore.

One in five new drivers in Scotland is likely to crash in their first year of driving. In the first half of 2007, one in three fatal accidents on Scotland’s roads involved someone under the age of 25.

“Young people base things on the principle that it will never happen to them,” says Michael. “But if you pick up the paper on a Monday morning or look at the stats, it does happen to young people every day.”

Michael and his team have been behind a series of high-profile campaigns highlighting the dangers on our roads. Much of their work has been based on the findings of driver behaviour psychologists and neuroscientists.

“They have told us that the part of the brain that may assist in keeping young people out of danger is not fully developed until the ­mid-20s,” adds Michael. “This, coupled with the fact they are novice drivers, can often prove a lethal combination.”

The scientists’ research has also found a new driver requires about 1000 miles of solo driving – with no-one to help them spot hazards or make decisions – to gain the experience that will set them up for the rest of their driving lives.

Michael adds: “We have to cotton wool people through that first 1000 miles, hope they do have experiences where they know they were lucky to get away from something, but not actually become involved in a crash.

“This is a particularly dangerous time, not because they are not skilful – they have this thought that their skills and quick reactions will get them out of any trouble – but the unfortunate thing is we can’t predict what other people will do on the roads.

“There are two things young drivers should do: one is slow down a bit and the other is always wear a seat belt. If we can achieve that, the number of young lives we could save and the number of serious injuries we could prevent would be incredible.”

One person on the way to her first 1000 miles behind the wheel is 18-year-old Gillian Whyte. The accountancy student cast off her L-plates last September and since then has been clocking up the miles in her Mini Cooper.

“I’m pretty lazy so I even drive to the station, which is about five minutes from my house,” says Gillian. “I had quite a few lessons before I sat the test – about 40. I meant to do the advanced driving test too but because of university and my part-time job I’ve just not had the chance.”

So has her time behind the wheel been bump-free? “Almost. Technically I drove into my neighbour’s car but it wasn’t a massive crash, I just kind of dented his door.

“I was taking my dad to Paisley but I wasn’t really happy about going out as it was really icy. My dad told me to put water on the windows but the whole back window iced up and I didn’t realise my neighbour’s car was out till I heard this crunching noise. He wasn’t actually that bothered, as my mum had done the same thing years ago. And I blamed my dad for his advice.”

Gillian does admit to having a few bad habits, but insists she is a very careful driver.

“My instructor was an ex-policeman and was really focused on safety. He had first-hand experience of crashes and made me very aware of potential hazards.

“If I was an unsafe driver I might be more worried about crashing but I keep to the speed limit and drive carefully. Someone else’s stupidity could cause me to crash but if I thought about that non-stop then I probably would be too scared to go out on the road.”

When it comes to stupidity on the roads, 27-year-old Colin Halliday still has vivid memories of a moment of madness in 2002 which set him back years.

“I was car-daft,” says Colin, who passed his test after just 12 lessons. “I was desperate for the day I could get my licence and have some freedom. I loved car racing on the telly, looking at cars on the road and I just thought it was cool to have a car. I had friends who had passed so that spurred me on even more.”

At 18, he experienced his first accident when another driver took the front bumper right off his dad’s car as he edged out to see beyond a parked van. But it was an incident of his own making that he deeply regrets.

Colin explains: “I was on the M74 at half 11 at night, with just me and my girlfriend in the car. There were no cars on the road and the conditions were dry so I decided to see how fast my car could go.”

Clocked by police doing 143mph – more than double the speed limit – Colin was banned for a year and a half and fined £1000.

“From the moment the police stopped me I knew my licence was gone. I had to sell the car which meant a £4000 debt, but it was my job too. I was working as a maintenance engineer quite far from my home so I needed to drive there. My dad had to run me to make sure I still had a job but they made me redundant.

“It actually affected me more when I got my licence back. I couldn’t get jobs because I had dangerous driving printed on my licence. And there was the insurance cost too. I’ll never put the foot down again as I know it will be a jail sentence, or worse, I could kill someone.”

In 2006, 109 male drivers aged 16-19 were killed or seriously injured, and Sergeant Mark Gillespie, who heads Strathclyde Police’s Road Safety Unit, has first-hand experience of such tragedies. He says: “I’ve been at the scene of many crashes where young people have died and having to deal with relatives is heartbreaking. It is such a tragic waste of life.”

Sergeant Gillespie and his three-man team are set to launch a young driver safety initiative in June called Drive 4 Safety, which will include visits to secondary schools and to employers with large numbers of young people working for them, and will even look at educating parents.

“Parents have a real role to play in forming their children’s attitudes towards driving,” he says. “Even from as young as eight or nine, children see how their parents drive. Research has shown that if the parents have poor attitudes to driving then the likelihood is that their children may adopt the same attitudes.

“While parents can have influence, it’s still up to young drivers and their passengers to be responsible. Everyone should wear seat belts and passengers should have the guts to tell the driver to slow down and speak up if they feel in danger.

“If not, there could be serious consequences, whether it is being involved in a crash which results in death or serious injury or being stopped for committing road traffic offences. You pay a fortune to pass a test and get out on the road but it can quite literally be gone in a flash if you are caught speeding.”

Before you get in the car, remember...

Seat belts

Around 2000 lives every year are saved by front seat belts so it is well worth buckling up. And it’s just as important to belt up in the back too. In a crash at 30mph, if you are not wearing your seat belt in the back, you will hit the front seat, and anyone in it, with a force of between 30 and 60 times your own body weight – the equivalent of a baby elephant.

Mobile Phones

It is handy to have a mobile in your car in case of emergencies, but calls and texts can be a lethal distraction. Your phone doesn’t even have to be switched on to be breaking the law, as it relates to holding it, and the offence carries a fine and three penalty points which, as a new driver, puts you half-way towards being a learner again.

Drink and Drugs

Drink and drugs slow reaction times and make it easier for you to make bad decisions. A drink or drug-driving conviction brings an automatic 12-month ban, a hefty fine and a criminal record for at least 20 years. Be careful with prescription and over-the-counter medicines too, as impairment through these can carry the same penalty, so check with your doctor or pharmacist.

The Passenger

Friends are meant to look out for each other. Don’t let them disrespect you by putting your life at risk. Nobody wants to be the spoilsport, but having the guts to speak up will gain you more respect than letting someone gamble with your life. And make sure you buckle up.

IN THEORY

DESPITE what teachers might have you believe, passing a school exam is not a matter of life and death, but passing your driving theory test ultimately could be. On average, 5000 young people in Scotland pass their practical driving tests every month and it is vital to be clued up on the Highway Code before you get behind the wheel. Try a few sample questions to see whether you’re steering in the right direction:

1. You are driving behind a large goods vehicle which signals left but starts to turn right. What should you do?

a) Slow down and let the vehicle turn.

b) Overtake on the right of it.

c) Drive on, keeping to the left.

d) Hold your speed and sound your horn.

2. This traffic signal means ... (50 circle sign)

a) A compulsory maximum speed limit.

b) A compulsory minimum speed limit.

c) An advisory maximum speed limit.

d) An advisory stopping distance.

3. When can you use your hazard warning lights when driving?

a) Instead of sounding your horn in a built-up area between 11.30pm
and 7am.

b) On rural routes, after a warning sign of animals.

c) On a motorway or unrestricted dual carriageway to warn of a hazard ahead.

d) On the approach to a toucan crossing where cyclists are waiting to cross.

4. As a provisional licence-holder, you should not drive a car ...

a) Over 30mph.

b) On the motorway.

c) At night.

d) With passengers in the rear seats.

5. How will a school crossing patrol signal you to stop?

a) By pointing to children on the opposite pavement.

b) By displaying a stop sign.

c) By displaying a red light.

d) By giving you an arm signal.

6. You are waiting at a T-junction. A vehicle is coming from the right with the left signal flashing. What should you do?

a) Move out and accelerate hard.

b) Pull out before the vehicle reaches the junction.

c) Wait until the vehicle starts to turn.

d) Move out slowly.

7. You are about to go down a steep hill. How do you best control the speed of your vehicle?

a) Select a high gear and use the brakes carefully.

b) Select a low gear and use the brakes carefully.

c) Select a high gear and use the brakes firmly.

d) Select a low gear and avoid using the brakes.

8. You are driving in town. Ahead of you is a bus at a bus stop. Which two should you do?

a) Be prepared to give way if the bus suddenly moves off.

b) Watch carefully for the sudden approach of pedestrians.

c) Continue at the same speed but sound your horn as a warning.

d) Pass the bus as quickly as you possibly can.

9. You are at the front of a queue of traffic waiting to turn right into a side street. Why is it important to check your right mirror just before turning?

a) To look for pedestrians about to cross.

b) To make sure the side road is clear.

c) To check for overtaking vehicles.

d) To check for emerging traffic.

10. What style of driving causes increased risk to everyone?

a) Considerate.

b) Competitive.

c) Defensive.

500.

Responsible.

Answers:

1 a), 2 a), 3 c), 4 b), 5 b), 6 c), 7 b), 8 a) and b),
9 c), 10 b).