Brits show support for teenage drivers

Teenage motorists shouldn't be forbidden from driving at night, according to a poll by moneysupermarket.com.

Following calls to introduce Graduate Driver Licensing (GDL) to Britain, moneysupermarket.com questioned its site users on whether teenage drivers should be banned from driving at night. It found over half of those polled (56 per cent) believe teenage drivers shouldn't be banned - a quarter (26 per cent) said that teenagers need the driving experience, and 30 per cent say it would be impossible to enforce.

However, the research also revealed a tenth (11 per cent) believe forbidding teenagers to drive at night would reduce road deaths, and 30 per cent say teenagers need more driving experience before getting behind the wheel at night.

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, our research shows Brits are questioning whether a GDL would really work. Enforcing this system will be incredibly hard to do in practice and I don't believe it would stop young motorists getting behind the wheel to obey 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.

"It's a shame car insurance premiums are based on age rather than experience, with many young drivers automatically facing high car insurance premiums. In particular, young male drivers traditionally bear the brunt of a ‘boy racer' reputation through the cost of their premiums. 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."