Rationale
Young people (under 25) are involved in proportionally more car crashes than any other age group. Recent findings in brain development indicate that the human brain may not be fully capable of recognising risks, and predicting consequences, until around age 25.

Young adults are still developing cognitive skills
Young people have less well-developed risk-recognition abilities, either due to their early brain development stage and/or a lack of life experience. 

• This fact means that young adults are less likely to recognise hazards when driving (as well as at other times)
• This fact means young adults are more likely to engage in behaviours that more experienced persons would recognise as dangerous
• This lack of brain development means young adults are likely to get into hazardous situations, which they did not foresee, and from which they lack the skills to extricate themselves safely
• These facts mean that young adults therefore are more likely to be involved in a car crash when they or other young adults are driving at the time (or injury if engaging in other activities)

BRAKE believes that a properly designed and presented training program which trains the young person to be more aware of hazards and risks and react accordingly should reduce the likelihood of a crash or other serious consequences.

Aims
The BRAKE Driver Awareness Program aims to:

• Reduce under 25’s involvement in motor vehicle crashes
  
• Reduce traffic offences committed by drivers under 25, thereby reducing under 25’s exposure to police enforcement
• Divert under 25’s from judicial processes
  
• Divert under 25’s from anti-social behaviour influenced by negative exposure to police enforcement and judicial processes
  
• Teach young passengers that they can influence young drivers within a vehicle to reduce the incidents of young driver crashes involving passengers
  
• Reduce the impact of serious crashes and fatalities both socially and economically on the community
• Enhance parents'/mentors' awareness, skills and knowledge of changes to traffic laws and driving risks as parents'/mentors' are a crucial link to a reduction in parents'/mentors' involvement in motor vehicle crashes
  
• Increase community awareness and solicit their assistance in reducing under 25’s involvement in motor vehicle crashes