Sally Taylor MBE (South Today Presenter):

  "Telling them about the dangers is a first step. Giving them the proper skills to cope when they get behind the wheel is another. Our Transport Correspondent Paul Clifton has been to meet one group that thinks it's found the answer—teaching kids to drive from the age of 11".

Paul Clifton (PC) BBC Reporter:

  "Until three minutes ago Laura Thompson had never sat in this Jaguar. You would never have guessed it. Laura comes from Reading. She's only 15 but she's been driving for three years".

Laura Thompson (LT):

  "It is a talking point with all my friends I have to say. They're all really jealous. Because they all really want to learn to drive. I've brought a few of them to the Car Club as well and yeah it's a really good opportunity as well".

PC:

  "Laura is one of 300 members of the Under 17 Car Club".

Instructor (in background):

  "How close should we be to the car in front?"

PC:

  "They drive most weekends. On the test track at the TRL in Crowthorne or here at Castle Combe Racing Circuit in Wiltshire".

LT:

  "The hardest thing I think is probably right at the start is learning to do the change the gear without just stalling the car and just basically getting the car going in a straight line is probably the hardest thing to do at the start".

PC:

  "On the race track Laura's quite happy driving at up to 90 miles per hour. She's driven dozens of different vehicles".

LT:

  "I've driven an articulated lorry, fire engine to a Mini-Cooper. You drive a whole range of different cars".

PC:

  "Students drive trucks and rally cars too. The aim is to produce drivers who are far safer and far more responsible than other teenagers. It's run by volunteers and it costs far less than normal driving lessons".

Paul Silverwood:

  "By the time they get to 17, they'll have had hundreds of hours and thousands of miles experience under their belts and therefore, when they hit the roads at 17, they'll be driving better than most drivers on the road. We do encourage the more experienced youngsters to swap cars as often as they can so that they get this wide range of experience".

PC:

  "So does it work? Well, I felt safer being driven by Laura than by some of my friends and they are old enough to be Laura's parents. Paul Clifton, BBC South Today, Wiltshire".

Sally Taylor:

  "Interesting scheme".