Mondello Park and Opel Ireland Renew Early-Drive Road Safety Partnership
Mondello Park and Opel Ireland have renewed their partnership for Early-Drive | Electrified by Opel, continuing their shared commitment to improving road safety education for young people across Ireland.
For more than 25 years, Mondello Park has been introducing teenagers to the principles of safe and responsible driving through its Early-Drive programme. The renewed partnership, which includes the arrival of a new fleet of all-electric Opel Mokkas, will continue to give young people aged 13–17 the opportunity to get behind the wheel in a safe, supervised environment.
With around 2,500 teenagers participating each year, Early-Drive | Electrified by Opel helps young people develop essential road awareness, practical driving skills, and an understanding of the responsibilities that come with being a driver.
Road Safety Education Starts Before the First Driving Lesson
Road safety remains a significant concern in Ireland. Recent Road Safety Authority figures show that 16–25-year-olds accounted for 27% of road fatalities in the first half of 2026, highlighting the importance of developing safer attitudes towards driving from an early age.
Early-Drive | Electrified by Opel is built around the belief that road safety education should begin long before a teenager takes their first driving lesson.
Roddy Greene, Managing Director of Mondello Park, explains:
“Safety is at the heart of everything we do at Mondello Park, both in motorsport and driving. Recent incidents involving dangerous driving and the sharing of reckless driving content on social media are deeply concerning and reinforce the importance of talking to young people about road safety.
“By the time somebody begins learning to drive at 17, many of their attitudes towards cars, speed, and road use have already started to form. There is real value in beginning that education earlier.”
Practical Experience, Real-World Road Safety Skills
Early-Drive | Electrified by Opel gives teenagers the opportunity to experience driving for the first time, with qualified instructors guiding them through practical sessions in dual-controlled vehicles.
The programme takes place in a controlled environment at Mondello Park, with road signs, junctions, and other features designed to introduce participants to real-world driving situations.
Alongside learning the basics of vehicle control, braking, and observation, teenagers develop an understanding of the concentration, judgement, and responsibility required behind the wheel.
The experience also includes Road Ready, an educational session covering responsible road use, essential road safety knowledge, the process of applying for a driving licence, and preparation for the driver theory test.
“We have a unique environment here where a young person can experience being responsible for a car without traffic, pedestrians, or the countless other variables they will eventually encounter as a learner driver,” explains Roddy.
“They can learn what braking feels like, how much concentration driving requires, and how quickly things happen from behind the wheel while an experienced instructor remains in control of the car.”
Supporting Schools, Teenagers, and Families
Early-Drive | Electrified by Opel welcomes around 2,500 teenagers each year, with many participating through school-organised Transition Year programmes.
Individual experiences are also available for families during school holidays, giving parents the opportunity to introduce teenagers as young as 13 to driving and road safety in a safe, structured setting.
No previous driving experience is required, making the programme accessible to complete beginners.
The programme supports the principles of the Road Safety Authority’s Vision Zero strategy, which aims to eliminate road deaths and serious injuries on Irish roads by 2050.
“No single programme can solve the challenges we are seeing on Irish roads,” Roddy concludes. “What we can do is help give young people greater awareness, better habits, and a stronger understanding of the responsibility that comes with driving before they take to a public road.”
Discover Early-Drive | Electrified by Opel
Whether you’re a parent looking to introduce your teenager to driving or a school planning a Transition Year activity, Early-Drive | Electrified by Opel combines the excitement of getting behind the wheel with valuable road safety education.
Discover Early-Drive | Electrified by Opel and book your experience.
