What assessment it has made of the impact that speed awareness courses could have on (a) road safety and (b) driver education.

The Scottish Government fully supports driver education as an alternative to prosecution where appropriate, understanding how these courses can positively influence behaviour and align with our long-term goal of reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured on Scotland’s roads. It’s important to note that we are not only looking to bring in speed awareness courses but a full suite of courses aimed at lower-level offences where the aim is behaviour change rather than punishment.We have undertaken an in-depth review of all of the leading studies in this area. For example a three year evaluation, previously published by DfT, found that course participation reduced the likelihood of reoffending within six months by up to 23%. It further highlighted that the course was more effective in reducing speed reoffending than the penalty points and fines typically associated with fixed penalty notices for eligible drivers. This positive impact appeared to persist for up to three years following participation. Although a direct link to a reduction in road traffic collisions was not established, it was determined that the speed awareness courses contributed to reduced reoffending rates, and it is reasonable to anticipate that course participation encourages safer driving behaviours, indirectly lowering future collision risks.Additionally, in 2023, the Transport Research Laboratory conducted an evaluation of the majority of National Driver Offending Retraining Scheme (NDORS) courses, which found that overall the courses are having a positive impact on the various behaviours they target.