One of the UK’s largest motoring organizations has voiced its support for changes to driving licences. These new rules impact younger drivers.
The AA is advocating the introduction of a graduated driving licence (GDL) to improve road safety by imposing strict restrictions on people who have recently passed their driving test.
One of the GDL’s key measures is to limit the number of passengers of the same age for newly qualified drivers during the first six months after passing their practical driving test.
Nearly three quarters (72 percent) of AA members think the introduction of the GDL and a passenger restriction for younger drivers is a good idea.
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Nearly three-quarters of drivers are in favor of the introduction of GDLs for young people
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The AA supports these measures to tackle the number of teenage road deaths. One in five young drivers has an accident within a year of obtaining their driver’s license.
Every year, another 1,500 young drivers are killed or seriously injured, and five people die in traffic every day.
Edmund King OBE, Chairman of the AA, said this important issue must be addressed to protect young drivers behind the wheel and all other road users.
He said: “The AA believes we need a system of graduated learning with a logbook where all learners must demonstrate their skills on all types of roads and particularly on rural roads where 71 per cent of fatal crashes involving new drivers occur, and in different weather conditions and at different times of day or night.
“Once they pass their test, the driver is not allowed to carry passengers of the same age for at least six months, as research shows they are four times more likely to crash with each passenger of the same age.
“Most people don’t realize until it’s too late that, according to the World Health Organization, traffic accidents are the leading cause of death for children and young adults aged 5 to 29.”
Graduated driving licenses are already in use around the world, with experts pointing to the road safety benefits in Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
The AA estimates that between 20 and 40 per cent of people involved in road accidents could avoid death or serious injury if GDLs were introduced to support new drivers.
Earlier this year, a petition was launched calling on the government to introduce new driving licensing rules for newly qualified drivers under the age of 25. The petition was launched by a mother who lost her son in a car accident. More than 24,000 people supported the petition before it was closed prematurely due to the general election.
The Department for Transport said it had no published plans to introduce such measures, but that it was keeping 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 her who have lost loved ones in road accidents and has spoken out about the need for new rules to protect motorists.
She said: “Graduated licensing is a critical issue. How many more young people have to die before action is taken?
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About 1,500 young drivers are killed or seriously injured every year
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‘We can no longer sit back and watch as more and more young people die or are seriously injured in road accidents.
“Our message to all political parties is simple: listen to us, listen to the experts, listen to the AA and learn from other countries, which have seen a huge reduction in the number of deaths among young drivers and passengers after the introduction of graduated licensing for young novice drivers.
“My daughter, Caitlin, would be alive today if action had been taken when the concept of graduated licensing came out years ago.”