NEWLY qualified drivers in the North-East have complained they are not being properly prepared for the roads.

A report, carried out by Autoglass, found that learner drivers in the region said they were being allowed to drive with too little training.

Four in five young drivers in the North-East, a total of 83 per cent, said they were a danger to other road users, despite having passed their test.

More than one in five had been involved in a major collision, and 39 per cent had been involved in a crash with another vehicle.

The managing director of Autoglass, Nigel Doggett, said: "The great majority of new drivers in the North-East said they have been trained just to pass the test, rather than to drive safely.

"Their fear is that they are a risk both to themselves and others."

The report, which has been sent to road safety minister David Jamieson, also found that North-East drivers were horrified by some of the driving experiences that the test had not prepared then for.

They want lessons and tests to include motorway and night driving, and handling dangerous situations.

Sixty-five per cent described driving alone after they had passed their test as nerve-wracking, and more than half admitted that they speed.

Seventy-four per cent said they were a risk to themselves and pedestrians, while four in five revealed they were a risk to passengers and other drivers.

Mr Doggett said: "These North-East youngsters have good basic skills, but their lack of experience means they are poor at spotting hazards or managing unfamiliar situations, and that is what makes them a danger to themselves and to others."