A PENARTH teenager has been named one of Britain’s best young drivers.

Cameron Redwood, 14 from Llandough, came fourth in the Young Driver Challenge 2021 in the 14-16 age category.

Cameron said: “I had such a brilliant day. It was great to spend so much time behind the wheel with new instructors. 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 that head-start of knowing how to safely control a car.”

12-year-old Jenson Jones from Clydach Vale in Tonypandy was also named as one of the best drivers – coming joint sixth in the 10-13 age group.

The competition – organised by Young Driver, the UK’s largest pre-17 driving school – allows children aged between 10 and 16 to take part in a variety of driving activities including reversing, parking, manoeuvring a slalom, handling junctions and independent driving.

The young drivers use dual-controlled Vauxhall Corsa’s with a fully qualified driving instructor assessing their abilities and skills. The competition – with 40 youngsters - was held at the British Motor Museum in Warwickshire on Saturday, October 2.

The aim of the Young Driver scheme is to create a safer next generation of drivers. Stats show that 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.

TV presenter and motoring expert Quentin Willson provided the finalists with their prizes. All finalists were given 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.

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Young Driver’s head of marketing, Sue Waterfield, said: “It’s been a great final, the drivers all performed amazingly. Cameron and Jenson should both feel very proud of themselves, it’s a fantastic achievement.

“Anyone watching the finalists drive can see how beneficial it is learning at such a young age. 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. But beyond showing us how great their driving skills are, they’ve all had a really great day with lots of smiles and a real sense of pride and achievement, which is what it’s all about.”

Young Driver has 70 operating locations across the UK, including Chepstow and Newport, with more than one million driving lessons given to youngsters between 10 and 17. Visit www.youngdriver.com for more information.