Marlborough Mayor John Leggett dropped in to offer words of encouragement to the latest group of teens to go through the Learner Licence Course which the Marlborough District Council supports.
Teens are referred to the courses by police or other community agencies as an opportunity to get some proper driving instruction and encouragement through the testing process. It means they’re not driving illegally, they learn driving skills and they get a better grasp of the road rules.
Mr Leggett says it’s a practical programme to give teens a very useful life skill.
There’s no doubt that having a drivers licence gives young people a better shot at getting a job and it’s in everyone’s best interests that they’re taught proper driving skills from the outset, he said.
“If they’re caught driving dangerously without a licence then they’re on the path toward Court and that’s the wrong path for any kid to be taking,” the Mayor said.
Passing the test can be a real boost to the confidence and sense of achievement for the teens as well as making the roads that little bit safer for the rest of us, he said.
Council helps to fund these learner driver courses with testing costs being met by the student and other support services.
Fifty three teens have already gone through the training this year with a 98% pass rate.