Driving instruction app to go global

Two entrepreneurial types in New South Wales have hijacked the Uber business model for the purpose of matching learners to driving instructors.

And the idea, LDRIVO, is catching on. Supported by a state government grant, the app is ready to roll out to the rest of the world, say inventors Dane Westerweller and Nathan Dawes (pictured).

"I was inspired by an article regarding road fatalities and the links between young and inexperienced drivers led me to focus my attention on the driving school industry," says Westerweller, as quoted in a press release.

"One young person dies every day on our roads! Through my research I discovered that the driving school industry has remained relatively unchanged over the past 40 years."

The app that Westerweller consequently developed jointly with Dawes allows learners to "choose their perfect driving instructor" from profiles, narrowing the search through filters. In addition, the learner can use LDRIVO to book lessons and track them in a 'digital log book'. The app is already locked in for driving schools around the country.

"There is actually nothing like it in the world, we received a grant from NSW Government... to help bring it to life; now we plan to go global" says Dawes.

"Research shows that learners have better educational outcomes when better matched with the right instructor. Furthermore, studies show that the more professional instruction hours a Learner has the fewer accidents.

"Sadly Australian drivers aged 17-25 represent 25 per cent of all vehicle crash fatalities even though they only represent 13.5 per cent of the driving population! And 45 per cent of all young Australian injury deaths are due to road traffic crashes, whilst of all hospitalisations of young Australians, almost half are drivers involved in a road traffic crash."

Stats show that P-platers die at twice the rate of other drivers by age group, but only account for 10 per cent of road users. Younger drivers are more likely to be fatally injured at night or weekends, rather than during working hours.

LDRIVO's developers hold out high hopes it can make a difference.

The app can be downloaded from the website.