Emergency Assist 991's Best Young Driver competition returns
Staff Writer | Wednesday July 16, 2025 13:52
Now in its third year, the competition offers a unique opportunity for young licensed drivers aged 18 to 26 to showcase their skills, test their knowledge and be celebrated for their positive road behaviour. The competition will launch on July 18, 2025, across Emergency Assist 991’s social media platforms.
The 2025 National Final will take place in October 2025 in Gaborone, continuing the mission of promoting road safety through positive reinforcement rather than punitive action.
Organised in partnership with the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), the Best Young Driver initiative empowers participants to develop life-saving skills whilst standing a chance to represent Botswana on the international stage.
Emergency Assist 991, a member of the FIA, opens applications on July 18, 2025, and encourages all eligible youth to register via the competition portal, which will go through vetting process.
The process includes theory tests and practical driving assessments, all geared towards highlighting good driving practices. These include emergency scenarios.
National winners, one male and one female will win an all expense paid trip to compete in the FIA International Best Young Driver Finals in Kenya in November 2025, the first time the international finals are held in Africa.
“The competition gives young people a platform to showcase their talent whilst reinforcing a culture of accountability on the roads,” said Paul Setswe, Road Safety Coordinator at Emergency Assist 991.
“We believe youth are not just the future – they are today’s solution to road safety.”
“We are trying a different model to promote safe road behavior. For us we wanted to do a competition to maintain good driving behavior other than the conventional punitive measures. This mirrors models in Sweden and other developed countries of reward and recognition of drivers with good behavior and skills.”
The 2023 and 2024 editions of the competition saw exceptional young talent take center stage, with national winners traveling to represent Botswana in Austria and Belgium, respectively.
This year’s edition promises to be even bigger, offering both national pride and international exposure for its finalists.