No full driving licence until 19: Ministers' plan to slash deaths caused by young motorists
And young people could be forced to wait until they are 19 before they qualify for a full licence under radical plans being considered by ministers. Currently they can be driving independently at 17.
The plans could also see all motorists aged under 30 banned from giving their friends a lift or driving at night for 12 months after they pass their test.
The proposals, prepared for the Department for Transport, would also see new motorists face a lower drink-drive limit for a year, regardless of their age.
Overhaul: Young people could be forced to wait until they are 19 before they qualify for a full licence under radical plans being considered by ministers
Road safety campaigners have long called for reforms to tackle the carnage caused by young motorists
Yesterday’s report by the respected Transport Research Laboratory calls for the introduction of so-called Graduated Driver Licensing.
A driver would have to pass a series of landmarks after their formal test before they were considered to be competent to drive without restrictions.
The report suggests the system, already used in countries such as Canada and in parts of the United States, could cut the number killed and injured on Britain’s roads by more than 4,470 a year.
The study found that almost a quarter of the road accidents resulting in death or serious injury last year involved a driver under 24. That age group is roughly four times more likely to be involved in a serious accident than older motorists.
Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin is said to be 'open-minded' about the proposals
The proposals will now be considered by Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin, and could be included in a formal consultation to be published before Christmas.
A source close to Mr McLoughlin last night said he was ‘open-minded’ about the issue. The source said the clear road safety benefits had to be balanced against issues of liberty and practical considerations about the difficulties faced by young people trying to get to work or college, particularly in rural areas.
Under the proposals young people would still be allowed to learn to drive when they turn 17.
But they would have to turn 18 before they could take their test, and would also have to log 120 hours of supervised practice, including 20 hours at night.
After passing their test the novice motorist would then remain ‘on probation’ for 12 months and be required to carry a green ‘P’ plate on their car.
During this time they would be banned from carrying passengers aged under 30 or from driving between the hours of 10pm and 5am unless they are accompanied by an adult aged over 30.
All new drivers, including older motorists, would also face restrictions on night driving, a lower drink-drive limit and a ban on using a hands-free mobile phone for 12 months after passing their test.
Dr Shaun Helman, one of the report’s authors, said: ‘The reasoning behind this is that the evidence shows that both youth and inexperience are factors in determining crash risk.’
After passing their test the novice motorist would then remain ‘on probation’ for 12 months and be required to carry a green ‘P’ plate on their car.
The study found that almost a quarter of the road accidents resulting in death or serious injury last year involved a driver under 24
Dr Hellman said there was ‘compelling’ evidence that similar restrictions had cut road deaths in countries around the world, including the United States, Australia and New Zealand.
France has a minimum driving age of 18, and new drivers are banned from travelling at more than 90 kilometres per hour (62mph) for two years after passing their test.
According to the road safety group Brake, a night driving curfew cut serious accidents involving young drivers by 59 per cent when it was introduced in Washington state.
The TRL report says moving to a ‘graduated’ system of driving licences ‘would bring considerable casualty savings for young and novice drivers, their passengers and all other road users’.
The Association of British Insurers also called for curbs on young drivers last year, including a minimum period of one year’s practice before taking a test.
The organisation, which represents insurance firms, said the move would help bring down the sky-high premiums faced by young drivers.
‘A car is potentially a lethal weapon, and we must do more to help young drivers better deal with the dangers of driving'
- The Association of British Insurers
The ABI argued that an 18-year-old driver is three times more likely to be involved in a crash than a 48-year-old driver. Its research showed 27 per cent of motor personal injury insurance claims over £500,000 resulted from crashes involving drivers aged between 17-24.
However, Edmund King, AA president, said: ‘At the extreme end, this report could be seen as just recommending taking novice drivers off the road by regulation and restriction rather than helping them develop the right attitudes and skills to provide them with the mobility they need.
‘Rather than compensating the proposed significant new restrictions through earlier access to the roads under supervision, the authors propose delaying and extending the driving development process to the point where even some 30-years-olds will be restricted in whom they can carry as passengers.’
A spokesman for the Department for Transport said the research would inform an upcoming consultative Green Paper on new drivers.
The spokesman added: ‘Young drivers drive around five per cent of all the miles driven in Britain, but are involved in about 20 per cent of the crashes where someone is killed or seriously injured.
‘We are committed to improving safety for young drivers and reducing their insurance costs - that is why we are publishing a Green Paper later in the year setting out our proposals. This will include a discussion about how people learn to drive.’
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