Call for Government action to stop young driver deaths welcomed by Brake

Calls by Parliament’s influential Transport Select Committee for Government action to stop the horrific young driver death toll have today been welcomed by national road safety charity Brake.

Crucial elements associated with life-saving Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) systems in other countries, which are at the heart of Brake’s Licensed to Kill? campaign, are recommended by the Committee in a report on its inquiry earlier this year, to which Brake submitted oral and written evidence.

The Committee’s recommended changes to driver training and testing include:

a minimum 12-month learner driver period;
raising the age of driving unaccompanied to 18;
a structured learning syllabus undertaken and examined by an Approved Driving Instructor; and
better hazard perception training.

It also recommends the introduction of a 12-month period for newly-qualified drivers in which risks associated with young drivers are limited, including a zero alcohol limit and a prohibition on carrying passengers aged 10-20 years between 11pm and 5am.

Brake welcomes all these sensible and crucial suggestions but would like to see a further tuition for newly-qualified drivers following their 12-month learning period, followed by a second test.

Brake is also calling for additional restrictions on newly-qualified drivers during the 12-month period following their first test, including restrictions on driving larger engine size cars unaccompanied; a prohibition on carrying young passengers at any time of day or night unaccompanied; and a total curfew on night-time driving.

The Transport Committee’s recommendation supports Brake’s calls for road safety and driver education to be part of the National Curriculum, targeting the attitudes of school age children towards driving before they start learning to drive.

Cathy Keeler, head of campaigns at Brake, said: “We are delighted that the Transport Committee’s recommendations include many of the crucial elements of Graduated Driver Licensing schemes which have saved many young lives in the countries where they have been introduced. This report makes vital reading for new ministers in the Department for Transport and we hope to see the government action that is needed to stop the carnage among young drivers soon. We will continue to fight for life-saving measures for young drivers to be introduced, but we are essentially pleased that Parliament is finally taking this problem seriously.”