Responding to the growing number of deaths and injuries on Irish roads, Fiat has teamed up with the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) to offer buyers of any new Fiat car the opportunity to take an advanced driving course and test free of charge.
The numbers killed on Ireland's roads this year continues to grow despite multiple government and garda road safety initiatives. So far this year, 256 people have lost their lives on the roads - nine more than over the same eight-month period last year.
At 98 deaths per million people, nearly double the number of people are killed on Irish roads compared to Europe's best road safety performer, the Netherlands, where just 50 people per million are killed on the roads. According to the Department of Transport, the major cause of road accidents is driver error, which is put as the main contributory factor in just over 88 per cent of accidents.
Many of those killed are young males and, although the new driving programmeis available to every buyer of a new Fiat car, it is clearly aimed atyounger inexperienced drivers.
Fiat's move is the first of its kind from a corporate body with the sole aim of saving lives by improving driver behaviour and is seen in part as a response to the Minister of Transport's call for more action from 'Corporate Ireland'.
The unique initiative, which is fully funded by Fiat and is available through franchised Fiat dealers countrywide from Friday, means buyers will now be able to take advantage of two half-day on-road tuition lessons from a qualified advanced driving instructor as well as sitting the advanced driving test for free.
Those who pass the test will be able to benefit from as much as 30 per cent reduction of their insurance premiums.
IAM director Mike Kavanagh, explained that passing the advanced driving test means a driver is less likely to have an accident and, if he does, it is likely to be less serious. Insurance companies recognise this reduced risk and this is reflected in lower premiums.
Explaining what prompted the move, Geoff Smyth, managing director of Fiat in Ireland, said it was a practical way for the company to help improve poor driving habits so evident on Irish roads. The initiative, which will save drivers €275, has been welcomed by the Minister for Transport, Martin Cullen.
At the launch of the advanced driving programme, Minister Cullen said that the new Road Safety Authority (RSA) was already in discussion with various organisations including the IAM to see what aspects of its advanced driver training course could be incorporated into a new driving test, which is expected to be introduced at the end of next year.
Currently, the RSA is also looking at best practice employed in a number of countries in relation to driver training and licensing and will report back to the Minister by early 2007 with its recommendations.