New research has found that 77% of people support a stronger driver licensing system in Britain, as part of efforts to reduce deaths and injuries from crashes involving young drivers.
As part of its Young Driver Safety report, Brake surveyed the views of 3,000 people, seeking views on young driver safety and different ways in which the driver licensing system could be strengthened.
Three-quarters (75%) of people agreed that the driver licensing system needs to be updated to protect everyone, 77% said they would support a stronger licensing system and 72% agreed that strengthening the licensing system is essential to prevent road death and injury from crashes involving young drivers.
There is equally strong support for measures aimed at mitigating specific risks associated with young learners and newly qualified drivers:
- 70% of survey respondents said there should be a minimum learning period – e.g. six months – before taking a driving test
- 73% agreed that it’s OK for young, newly qualified drivers to have to wait a few months before being permitted to carry peer-age passengers
- 74% think it’s OK for newly qualified drivers to wait a few months before being permitted to drive unsupervised late at night
- 88% agreed that new drivers should not be allowed to drink any alcohol when driving for the first six months after passing their test
- 61% back a change in the law to stop young people from driving with passengers under the age of 25 for six months after passing their test (with some exemptions).
Additionally, 79% of people think the Government has a responsibility to prevent future deaths and injuries resulting from crashes involving young drivers. And two-thirds (68%) said they would like their MP to do more to reduce the risk of crashes involving young drivers.
The report also highlights that 35% of respondents claimed to have been in a road collision involving a vehicle driven by a young driver, or know someone who has. That number increases to a staggering 54% among 18- to 24-year-olds.
Brake is calling on the Government to listen to the ‘compelling evidence’ brought together in the Young Driver Safety report and commit to reforming the driver licensing system in Britain.
Ross Moorlock, Brake’s CEO, said: “We have campaigned for many years for a stronger driver licensing system, with provisions aimed at equipping young and newly qualified drivers with the skills and knowledge they need to safely take to the roads and gain their independence.
“We often hear that death and injury on our roads is inevitable, and that any legislative changes to driver licensing unfairly penalise young people and restrict their freedom. It is essential that we shift our perspective.
“We know that collisions are preventable, and stronger licensing empowers young people to be safe and responsible drivers and protects everyone who uses our roads.
“Our report really highlights that public opinion is on our side. It’s time for the Government to listen, step up and take firm action to tackle the unacceptable level of death and injury on our roads. It’s time for change.”
Evidence from other countries demonstrates that stronger licensing systems have successfully reduced the numbers of people killed or injured in road crashes involving young drivers. It has also been estimated that a stronger licensing system could prevent thousands of road casualties and save millions of pounds each year if introduced in Britain.
Brake says young-driver collisions are a public health issue. Stopping them not only prevents death and catastrophic injuries and the trauma they cause, but it also prolongs lives, reduces the burden on the NHS, and has many other societal and economic benefits.
Dr Ian Greenwood, who has campaigned to prevent collisions involving young drivers since his daughter Alice, 12, died in a crash, said: “Brake’s research builds on existing evidence that the public largely supports reform to the driver licensing system for young and novice drivers.
“The risks associated with inexperienced young drivers have been known for almost a century. The devastating consequences of crashes involving young drivers is seen almost every week in the news, and evidence in favour of a stronger licensing system has been available since graduated driver licensing was first introduced in New Zealand in 1987.
“I strongly support Brake’s call on Government to act to prevent death and injury on Britain’s roads.”
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