One of the UK’s largest motoring organisations has supported driving licence changes which would see new rules impacting younger motorists.
The AA is calling for the introduction of a Graduated Driver Licence (GDL) in a bid to boost road safety by imposing strict limitations on people who have recently passed their driving tests.
One of the main measures of the GDL is to limit same-age passengers for newly qualified drivers for the first six months after they pass their practical test.
Almost three-quarters (72 per cent) of AA members believe the introduction of the GDL and a limitation on passengers for younger motorists is a good idea.
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Almost three-quarters of motorists are in favour of introducing GDLs for younger people
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The measures are being supported by the AA to address teenage deaths on the road, with one in five young drivers crashing within a year of passing their test.
A further 1,500 young drivers are killed or seriously injured each year, in addition to five people being killed on the road every single day.
Edmund King OBE, president of the AA, said this major issue needs to be addressed to protect young motorists behind the wheel and all other road users.
He said: “The AA believes we need a system of graduated learning with a logbook whereby all learners need to demonstrate their skills on all types of roads and crucially on rural roads where 71 per cent of new driver fatal crashes occur, and in different weather conditions and different times of day or night.
“Once they have passed their test the driver shouldn’t be allowed to carry same-age passengers for at least six months as research shows that with every same-age passenger, they are four times more likely to crash.
“Most people don’t realise, until it is too late, that road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death for children and young adults ages 5-29 years according to the World Health Organisation.”
Graduated Driver Licences are already used around the world, with experts pointing to road safety benefits in Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
The AA has estimated that between 20 per cent and 40 per cent of people involved in road traffic accidents could avoid death or serious injuries if GDLs were introduced to support new drivers.
A petition was launched earlier this year, calling on the Government to introduce new driving licence rules for newly qualified motorists under the age of 25. It was launched by a mother who lost her son in a car accident, with more than 24,000 people supporting the petition before it was closed prematurely as a result of the General Election.
The Department for Transport stated that it had no published plans to introduce such measures but that it always kept driving licence requirements under review, highlighting the impact of the Government’s THINK! road safety campaign.
Sharron Huddleston is the founder of the Forget-me-not Families Uniting group and set up the group for people like herself who have lost loved ones in road traffic accidents and has spoken about the need for new rules to protect motorists.
She said: “Graduated licences are a crucial issue. How many more young people need to die before action is taken?
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Around 1,500 young drivers are killed or seriously injured each year
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“We can’t sit back any longer and just watch as more and more young people are killed or seriously injured in road collisions.
“Our message to all political parties is simple – listen to us, listen to the experts, listen to The AA and learn from other countries, who have seen a huge reduction in young driver and passenger deaths after introducing graduated driving licensing for young novice drivers.
“My daughter, Caitlin, would be alive today if action had been taken when the concept of graduated licences was floated years ago.”
Robert Johnson is a UK-based business writer specializing in finance and entrepreneurship. With an eye for market trends and a keen interest in the corporate world, he offers readers valuable insights into business developments.
