According to a recent article by RAC Motoring Services, Young drivers may now be legally banned from carrying passengers for the first 12 months after completing their driving test as part of a graduated driving licence policy bound for the UK. Similar graduated licensing approaches have been introduced by many countries throughout the world in an effort to increase driving proficiency and promote the right safe driving behaviours to help reduce major or fatal collisions involving newly licenced young drivers.
Although nothing has been confirmed as of yet, opponents of the proposed changes have claimed that drivers under the age of 25 are less likely to cause accidents than those over the age of 85. However, equivalent regulations for licence holders with these ages have not been discussed.
The ideas have received support from organizations like the Support for Victims of Road Crashes, which advises the Department for Transportation (DfT).
RAC road safety spokesman Simon Williams said: “We’re very pleased to see that graduated driving licences are once again under consideration more than three and a half years after the Government last said it would look into their merits.
“Young people, and especially young men, continue to be massively over-represented in road collision statistics, so introducing restrictions that are gradually reduced over the first few years of driving may be one of the measures needed to bring the dreadful numbers down.
“It’s important any graduated driver licensing scheme doesn’t disadvantage young people who depend on their cars for work, so a balance needs to be struck between new drivers gaining the mobility they need while keeping them as safe as possible.
“Introducing a minimum learning period, or number of learning hours, should be the very least of what is put in place. We believe there could also be merits in restricting the number of people young drivers are allowed to carry at certain times – most importantly at night – as well as putting in place a stricter or even a zero drink-drive limit.
The reality is that without graduated licences and connected insurance products, more auto insurers will experience claims and significant losses, which will progressively put strain on the market’s ability to accommodate young drivers in the UK. Due to rising young driver premiums as a result, young drivers will eventually be unable to drive, leading to serious social issues. Furthermore, keeping our young drivers safe is in all of our interests.
For additional information on the UK’s proposal for graduated driving licences, continue reading at: https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/news/motoring-news/young-drivers-set-to-be-banned-from-giving-friends-lift
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