AN EVESHAM teenager put himself in the driving seat and earned success after he was named one of Britain’s Best Young Drivers.
Jack Jervis, 14, earned the honour after he took part in the Young Driver Challenge 2021 last weekend.
The Prince Henry’s High School student was one of 40 talented finalists, all aged under 17, who earned their place competing at the event held on Saturday (October 2) at the British Motor Museum in Gaydon, Warwickshire.
He competed in the 14-16 age category and was praised for his safe driving skills.
The aim of the Young Driver scheme is to create a safer next generation of drivers. In the UK one in five newly-qualified drivers has an accident within six months of passing their test, but this drops dramatically for Young Driver past pupils.
“I had such a brilliant day. It was great to spend so much time behind the wheel with new instructors,” said Jack.
“I really love learning to drive and I’m proud of how well I’ve done to get to the final. It’s great to think that I’m improving my skills all the time so by the time I’m 17 I’ll already have a headstart of knowing how to safely control a car.”
The challenge is organised by Young Driver, the UK’s largest pre-17 driving school, and 2021 marks the seventh year the competition has run.
Competitors compete in two age categories – 10 to 13 and 14 to 16 – and take part in a variety of driving activities including reversing, parking, manoeuvring a slalom course, handling junctions and independent driving.
Drivers are behind the wheel of new, dual controlled Vauxhall Corsas with fully qualified driving instructors who assess their abilities and skills.
TV presenter and motoring expert Quentin Willson awarded the finalists their prizes. All finalists received a medal, a complimentary 60-minute Young Driver gift voucher and a signed copy of Mr Willson’s latest book: Learn to Drive without Tears and Tantrums.
Sue Waterfield, head of marketing at Young Driver, said: “Jack should feel very proud of himself, it’s a fantastic achievement.
“These teens take the responsibility of being a safe driver very seriously and they show great control of the cars. They’ll take that forward with them as they learn on the road at 17 and then as qualified drivers
Young Driver operates at 70 locations across the UK, including Cheltenham, Moreton in Marsh and Malvern. Visit www.youngdriver.com for more.
