New driver training initiative to start in Mangawhai

Te Whai Community Trust are now taking names for their new free Learner Licence Driver Programme in Mangawhai. There will be five free small group programmes running throughout the year during school term and school holidays.

A collaboration between RoadSafe Northland and ACC, the programme is for all age groups, providing a fun, interactive way to learn the road code and prepare for the exam using games, quizzes and road code books.

Students will also be offered the opportunity to practice their driving with a trained volunteer mentor driver after passing their learner licence.

Local driving instructor Rosanne Davies will run the programme from Te Whai Community House at Rose Madsen Cottage.

Phase two will involve training up volunteer mentor drivers who can offer practical driving lessons for anyone working towards their restricted licence.

“We are looking for an organisation who might like to sponsor a car for our trained mentors to use for practice with the students,” says Rosanne. “We hope that a local business will see this as a worthy cause, helping to make our roads safer in Mangawhai.”

Volunteer mentor drivers Kerry Desmond, Gavin Riley, Rosanne Davis, John Phillis and Ulla Bode at Bream Bay Community Support Trust for training day with RoadSafeNorth.