Doug Kennedy BBC News Website

More than 300 drivers were injured in crashes in 2003

In 2003, young drivers were killed or seriously injured at the rate of almost one a day.

Government agencies, safety groups and police forces are campaigning constantly to get across a message of caution to recently passed drivers.

BBC Scotland's news website has looked at the cases for education, training and compulsory testing.

Young drivers are being urged to consider the future

About 2,000 young people pass their practical driving test every month in Scotland.

For the next year these drivers will be at the greatest risk of death or serious injury, mostly due to inexperience or speeding.

The Scottish Road Safety Campaign has launched a series of graphic posters and radio adverts warning young people to consider the risks.

But the organisation admits that getting the message over to their target audience is a constant challenge.

Families allowed police to release a picture of the car

Police in Fife say interest in a course to hone the skills of young drivers has risen dramatically since the tragic deaths of four teenagers.

The accident in early February happened when the Fiesta the teenagers were in struck another car and left the road at speed.

The families agreed to release a picture of the wreckage as a warning to other young drivers and Fife Constabulary said this, and the publicity surrounding the case, prompted a sharp rise in the Pass Plus safety scheme.

Pass Plus is a national driver initiative which gives extra tuition in areas like motorway driving, night driving and all weather driving.

Brake want to see more rigorous testing

Road safety charity Brake believes more needs to be done to educate and train motorists before they are allowed a full driving license.

This would include compulsory training to handle different road types and conditions, with more than one test.

The organisation believes dozens of people would avoid death or serious injury if greater emphasis is placed on practical experience.

Spokeswoman Aimee Bowen said: "At the moment a test lasting about an hour is seen as enough to last for 50 years or more of driving."