Dumfries Cruise has welcomed any moves to improve driver attitude

Jamie Carruthers, 19, runs events in the town - and further afield - where young enthusiasts go to see cars and show off their vehicles to others.

He knows plenty of people who have just passed their driving tests but still have a lot to learn about using the road.

So initiatives like the Institute of Advanced Motorists' plan to put 100 drivers under 26 through its training are more than welcome.

Mr Carruthers admitted the approach of many young drivers was frightening.

We had problems with the police and people were complaining - young drivers in the town were just being singled out Jamie Carruthers Dumfries Cruise

"They are just absolutely crazy. They don't really care," he said.

"They are doing handbrake turns right into car parks - stuff that is uncalled for and gives everybody a bad name."

He believes that every driver - not just the young - could learn something from the IAM training.

"You probably learn better handling, position on the road and observation," said Mr Carruthers.

Dumfries Cruise was partly set up to try to help to improve the reputation of young motorists in the eyes of the general public.

"They just think the lowest of us basically," he admitted.

"We just recently had our last event in January - that was the first for a while.

"We had problems with the police and people were complaining - young drivers in the town were just being singled out."

'Absolutely wonderful'

He said that had changed since the appointment of a police liaison officer.

"He has just been absolutely wonderful," said Mr Carruthers.

"I am actually looking at holding a bigger event later this year."

That would be a major transformation in the way such events have been handled.

The lesson, from at least one young driver's experience, would seem to be that communication is better than confrontation.