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11 July 2009
Brake, the road safety charity, supports the government plan to toughen up the UK driving test, but calls for even more action to protect young lives.
As the Government gears up to roll out a new syllabus for learning to drive and additional measures of competence behind the wheel from October 2009, the vast majority of British drivers are calling for even more action to toughen up the process of learning to drive and save young lives.
Nearly nine out of 10 drivers (87%) want learner drivers to gain a specified minimum level of experience behind the wheel before they can take their test.
According to the research by motor insurer Direct Line and Brake, the road safety charity, which surveyed more than 1,000 drivers, of the nine out of 10 drivers who are in favour of statutory on-road experience, six out of 10 (59%) also wanted learners to have compulsory lessons with an instructor.
As well as tightening up pre-test rules, British drivers are also keen to put restrictions on novice drivers for a period after they have passed their test. More than eight out of 10 (81%) drivers surveyed called for restrictions including: a zero drink-drive limit; a ban on driving powerful vehicles; a curfew on night driving; a ban on driving on motorways; and a ban on carrying lots of passengers who are not family members. Many of these restrictions are already enforced in other countries. Three out of four drivers in favour of restrictions (75%) said they should be imposed until a driver was at least 20 years old.
Although older respondents were more likely to be in favour of restrictions on young drivers, a large proportion of young drivers themselves are also in favour of restrictions. Even among the youngest age group surveyed (aged 17-24), more than half (54%) thought restrictions should be imposed.
Brake believes these measures are vital to save lives. Cathy Keeler, Brake's deputy chief executive, said: "This isn't about discriminating against the young - it's about protecting the next generation of drivers, who are most at risk of killing themselves and often their young friends, causing the most unimaginable, terrible grief to families and communities.
"Young drivers are more likely than any other age group to die, particularly young male drivers. Often the causes are predictable - such as speeding, drink or drug driving, or overtaking where it isn't safe. Often young drivers feel invincible and over-confident in their abilities, and also face distractions or peer pressure from other young people in their vehicles. Consequently they often take risks, show off, or lose concentration, causing their own deaths and their friends' deaths."
The Government is planning to roll out a road safety pre-driver qualification that can be taught in schools. From October 2009 this qualification will count as a partial credit towards the theory test for car drivers. Brake and Direct Line's survey shows that this measure has drivers' support. Almost all (95%) think road safety should be taught in schools, with almost four in five (79%) saying the Government should go even further and make road safety a compulsory school subject.
Andy Goldby, Director of Motor Underwriting Direct Line Car Insurance, says: "There is a genuine need for many young drivers to gain greater driving skills than under the current testing system. Once the driving test has been passed additional post-test training should also be incorporated to form lifelong learning. We want to see tougher Pass Plus and speed awareness courses, including some form of testing to ensure that people who qualify return as better drivers."
Case study: Sam Sayer, aged 20, was killed in a crash on 7 September 2005, on the A31 in Ropley, Hampshire, six months after passing his test. Six people died in the crash - Sam, his four passengers and the driver of another car. Sam's mum, Sue, is available for interview and pictures of Sam are available.
Sue Sayer says: "Sam's death has devastated my family and friends. It's just not acceptable that young people are dying and being seriously injured on our roads, day in, day out. The Government needs to sit up and take action that protects young people, like Sam and his friends, on our roads. Improving the system of learning to drive would be a good start, but the Government also needs to tackle risky behaviour on roads through clearer messages on issues such as drink-driving."
Brake runs a community education programme for young drivers called 2young2die. Young drivers, parents and teachers can go to www.2young2die.org.uk or call Brake on 01484 559909 to attend a free 2young2die training course on how to give safe driving workshops to young people.
Facts about young and newly-qualified drivers
Facts about Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL)
GDL aims to build up young drivers' ability and experience in gradual stages. After a minimum learning period and test, drivers are given a period of time to gain experience on roads before gaining a full driving licence. During this time their exposure to the most risky driving situations is restricted, through measures such as curfews and bans on carrying young passengers. There is substantial international evidence that introducing GDL leads to significant casualty reductions among young and newly-qualified drivers.
More information on GDL is available in the ‘Facts' section of www.brake.org.uk
British consultation on the driving test
A public consultation was run in 2008 to consider possible changes to driver testing and education in the UK. The Government has announced it will:
In the consultation, the Government also stated it was also willing to consider the following measures, which it has decided not to introduce at present:
Brake would welcome all of these changes. The charity's response to the consultation is available in the ‘Campaigns' section of www.brake.org.uk