HUNDREDS of young people in York are to be offered free advanced driving training in a pioneering attempt to improve safety and prevent tragedy.

Transport bosses were today launching York Momentum, giving up to 300 drivers aged 17 to 26 a free place on a course by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM).

The council said its partnership with the IAM was the first of its kind in the country, and the idea was welcomed by parents of young accident victims. York businesses are also being encouraged to promote the course to their staff.

The course usually costs £40 a person, but City of York Council has secured funding from the Department for Transport to cover the costs.

Dave Merrett   the council’s cabinet member for transport issues, said: “We are the first ever local authority to sign up to this scheme with IAM and are really setting a precedent here. I encourage young York drivers to contact the council as soon as possible and take advantage of this free course, as it’s a first-come first-served basis.

“Young people are at the highest risk of being killed or seriously injured on UK roads, whether as drivers or passengers of other young drivers. So this scheme will provide our young drivers with advanced knowledge and invaluable experience.”

Simon Best, chief executive of the IAM, said: “This initiative is a good example of the way councils can work in partnership with voluntary organisations to provide services that are increasingly more difficult to provide amidst budget cuts.”

Carole Hartley, of Woodthorpe , whose son David, now 23, has been unable to eat independently or talk since an accident in 2006, said: “I think it’s a brilliant idea and I would certainly encourage it. I would not like what has happened to us to happen again to someone else.”

Sue Snell, of Huby, near Easingwold, whose daughter, Gemma, 19, died when her Vauxhall Corsa hit a tree near Tollerton in 2008, also praised the idea and said other local authorities in North Yorkshire should follow York’s lead.

She said: “It’s often on the country roads where young people are driving and where the biggest problems lie.”

The IAM’s course is designed for 17-26 year olds who have passed their driving test. It consists of an interactive online assessment, followed by an on-road session with an examiner.

There is no exam or risk of failure, and it allows young drivers to quickly improve their confidence, awareness and safety, said the council.

Places are offered on a first-come, first-served basis, and will be paid for through the Local Sustainable Transport Fund, which the council bid for and received from the Department of Transport.

For more details, visit york.gov.uk/transport/Road_safety