Graduate Driver Licensing

Commenting on calls to introduce Graduate Driver Licensing (GDL) in Britain, Steve Sweeney, head of car insurance at moneysupermarket.com said: "While it may be good news for the industry that the issues facing younger drivers are firmly on the agenda, can a GDL scheme actually be enforced properly and will it significantly reduce the risk of crashes? Enforcing this system will be incredibly hard to do in practice and I don't believe it will actually keep young motorists off the roads and sticking to the rules. Young or newly qualified drivers are more at risk than experienced drivers whenever they get in the car, no matter whether it is night or day, and reducing the amount of time they are able to spend in their car will surely hinder their chances of gaining necessary experience on the road.

"New motorists are faced with so many new and unexpected scenarios to deal with when they pass their test, and their first few years behind the wheel are crucial to their learning process. Perhaps the compulsory introduction of night time driving or motorway driving as a requirement before a learner driver takes their test is a better way to help them gain some experience while still under the watchful eye of a professional. Additionally, introducing speed awareness courses to the learning process could also help reduce the risk of accidents.

"The main problem is that younger drivers have traditionally been perceived as high risk by the industry and because of this they have borne the brunt of sky high insurance premiums. Various insurance schemes have come and gone which have looked at curbing night-time driving for younger drivers in exchange for lower premiums. But cover still remains expensive. Recent research from moneysupermarket.com has found that young male drivers will pay 79 per cent more than women for annual car cover, and will continue to pay more than women overall until they hit their fifties. While it will be hard for younger drivers to find competitive cover, there are ways to cut the costs, such as adding a parent to their policy or looking at specialist insurers who target young drivers. Motorists who are prepared to shop around for the best deal each year will always come out on top regardless of their age or gender."