MORE than 600 motorists have so far funded their own car safety courses after being identified by police as careless drivers, instead of paying fines, going through a court appearance or having points put on their licence.

It is part of a Merseyside Police initiative to encourage greater safety and raise driving standards to cut road casualties.

The project, launched last September, has so far received some intriguing results. Up to April 1998 the highest proportion of drivers were men, with most drivers being between the ages of 31-45. So far police in Birkenhead have had the widest uptake of drivers.

The day-and-a-half safety courses put drivers through basic road safety theory and then allow them to drive on the roads with an instructor who points out the driver's flaws.

If they go to court, careless drivers can face up to a £2,500 fine with possible disqualification and penalty points.

Liverpool traffic officer Sgt John Grace, who helped pioneer the scheme said: "The aim is not to stigmatise drivers; what we want is for people to come out of the course better, more confident drivers and from the results we're getting, we know this is happening."

Findings from the Road Transport Research Laboratory show that drivers involved in a traffic accident in the previous three years, regardless of blame, are twice as likely to be involved in a further traffic accident within the next 12 months.

The risk increases ninefold for drivers involved in accidents they've caused themselves.

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