On Tuesday 28th January, Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood told MPs that the Government are focused on cutting the number of deaths for drivers aged under 24 years of age.
However, she stated this would be achieved without GDLs.
Greenwood commented: “Although the two-year probation period for new drivers was introduced in 1995, young drivers, especially men aged 17 to 24, continue to be among the highest-risk groups for fatalities, both as drivers and passengers, considering the population size and miles driven.
“While recent statistics show an 80% decrease in the number of young drivers killed on our roads since 1990, we cannot afford to be complacent – 90 deaths, the figure for 2023, is still 90 too many.”
However, the transport minister rejected the idea of altering the driving licence system for younger drivers, opting instead for an alternative approach.
“While we are not considering graduated driving licences,” she explained. “We fully acknowledge that young people are disproportionately affected by tragic accidents on our roads. That’s why we’re exploring ways to address the underlying causes of this, without unfairly penalising young drivers.
“This Government is committed to ensuring young people have access to employment, education, and other opportunities, while also keeping them safe on the roads.”
Under current rules, newly qualified drivers are currently subject to extra restrictions through the Road Traffic Act 1995.
The law states that immediately after gaining a full licence, a new driver is on probation for two years, regardless of their age.
However, in response to this week’s debate in Parliament, RAC’s head of policy Simon Williams said: “Despite the Future of Roads Minister firmly ruling out graduated driver licensing in Tuesday’s parliamentary debate on road safety for young drivers, it’s clear the Government intends to take action to save lives.
“We’re pleased to hear this and are keen to find out what measures it believes will make the biggest difference, especially given so many young drivers are involved in collisions in their first year of driving.”
What is a graduated driving licence?
A graduated driving license (GDL) is a system designed to provide new drivers with a staged approach to gaining full driving privileges.
It typically involves multiple phases from learner to newly qualified driver – and is used in many countries around the world.
The GDL system aims to reduce accidents among young drivers by restricting certain high-risk behaviours, like driving at night or with passengers, during the earlier stages.
As drivers gain experience and demonstrate responsible behaviour behind the wheel, they gradually gain more freedom.
As nothing has been announced in the UK following the recent meeting in parliament, the specific rules and stages could be different to those already in place in other nations.
Other potential future restrictions could include limits on the number of passengers for new drivers, driving curfews, lower drink-driving and speed limits, engine size/power restrictions, and mandatory use of ‘P’ plates for a specified period after passing the test.
Read our full guide on graduated driving licences.
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