Stronger young driver rules could cut casualties by around 30%, road safety expert says

• Strong graduated driver licensing system could reduce young driver casualties by around 30%, according to TRL expert
  
  
• The AA calls for peer-age passenger restrictions during the first six months after passing for new drivers under 21
  
  
• Mum whose 18-year-old daughter was killed while travelling with a newly qualified driver shares her story
  
  
• New episode of The Road Ahead with The AA released on Tuesday 10 November 
  
  

A stronger graduated driver licensing system could reduce casualties involving young drivers by around 30%, a leading road safety expert says in the latest episode of The Road Ahead with The AA.

Dr Shaun Helman, Chief Scientist of Behaviour at TRL, tells the podcast that evidence from around the world shows graduated driver licensing (GDL) can significantly improve young driver safety, with stronger systems producing greater benefits.

Young drivers represent just 6% of licence holders but account for 19% of car driver fatalities, while around 1,500 young drivers are killed or seriously injured each year.

The latest episode, released on Tuesday (10 November), examines why young and inexperienced drivers face a disproportionate risk and asks whether changes to the way people learn to drive and the rules they face after passing their test could save lives.

Hosted by Jack Cousens, The AA's Head of Roads Policy, the episode brings together Dr Helman and Lorna Lee, AA Charitable Trust trustee and The AA's Campaigns Manager.

The AA Charitable Trust is calling for new drivers under the age of 21 to face restrictions on carrying peer-age passengers during the first six months after passing their test.

Research discussed during the podcast shows that a young driver's risk of crashing increases with every peer-age passenger in the vehicle.

Lorna Lee said: “You can be a really responsible 17, 18, 19 year old. You can not make any irresponsible decisions on that drive. You can be driving within the speed limit.

“And your inexperience can still result in tragedy because you haven't got enough experience on wet roads, on headlight glare. There can be loads of different things and it's just an experience.

“It doesn't come down to how responsible as an individual you are.”

Dr Shaun Helman said: “Our estimate of effectiveness of this back in about 2014 was something in the region of maybe 30% reduction we can expect from a strong graduated licensing system in the UK. And that was a reasonably conservative estimate as well.

“I would say [that reduction] would be expected to on the basis of the evidence we've seen from around the world.

“This is not just a sort of, ‘oh, let's see if this works’. It has worked pretty much everywhere it's been tried.”

Four families devastated

The episode also hears from road safety campaigner Sharron Huddleston, whose daughter Caitlin was killed aged 18 in 2017 while travelling as a passenger in a car driven by an 18-year-old who had passed her driving test just four months earlier.

Both Caitlin and the driver were killed in the collision. Another 18-year-old passenger and the driver of an oncoming van survived but suffered lifelong injuries.

Sharron said: “So from that one crash alone, it was four families devastated, you know, two bereaved and two having to cope with lifelong injuries.

“And you just never think that is going to happen to your family.”

She tells the podcast that the coroner attributed the crash to the inexperience of the newly qualified driver.

Northern Ireland takes action

The podcast also looks at the introduction of graduated driver licensing in Northern Ireland. Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins MLA explains the changes, including a minimum six-month learning period and restrictions on carrying passengers between 11pm and 6am, subject to exemptions.

She tells the podcast the changes are “very much evidence based”, pointing to international examples where graduated licensing has been introduced.

The episode also features Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander MP explaining why the UK Government decided against passenger restrictions for novice drivers in its road safety strategy.

The Transport Secretary says the Government sought to balance road safety with young people's freedom to travel for work and other commitments, instead proposing consultation on measures including a three or six-month minimum learning period and a lower alcohol limit for novice drivers.

The AA and its guests consider whether those measures go far enough, with Dr Helman arguing that a 12-month minimum learning period would give learners greater opportunity to experience different roads, weather and driving conditions.

The full episode of The Road Ahead with The AA is available from Tuesday 10 November.

Watch Episode 2: Young Driver Safety: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1isMTuVJ3A

Q&A

1. Could graduated driver licensing reduce young driver casualties by 30%?

A strong graduated driver licensing (GDL) system could reduce casualties involving young drivers by around 30%, according to Dr Shaun Helman, Chief Scientist of Behaviour at TRL. Speaking on The Road Ahead with The AA podcast, Dr Helman said international evidence shows that graduated licensing systems can significantly improve young driver safety, with stronger systems delivering greater benefits. His estimate for the UK dates back to around 2014.

2. What is graduated driver licensing and how does it work?

Graduated driver licensing (GDL) introduces additional requirements or restrictions for people learning to drive and newly qualified drivers. Measures discussed on The AA's podcast include minimum learning periods and restrictions on carrying passengers. The aim is to give inexperienced drivers more opportunities to develop their skills while reducing exposure to higher-risk driving situations.

3. What changes does The AA want for newly qualified drivers?

The AA Charitable Trust is calling for drivers under 21 to face restrictions on carrying passengers of a similar age during the first six months after passing their driving test. The proposal reflects evidence discussed on The AA's podcast showing that the risk of a young driver crashing increases with every peer-age passenger in the vehicle.

4. Why are young drivers at greater risk of serious road collisions?

Young drivers account for just 6% of driving licence holders but 19% of car driver fatalities. Around 1,500 young drivers are killed or seriously injured each year. The AA highlights inexperience as a significant factor, explaining that even responsible young drivers can struggle with unfamiliar conditions, including wet roads and headlight glare. Greater driving experience can help newly qualified motorists develop the skills needed to respond to different situations.

5. What graduated driver licensing rules are being introduced in Northern Ireland?

Northern Ireland is introducing graduated driver licensing measures, including a minimum six-month learning period and restrictions on carrying passengers between 11pm and 6am, subject to exemptions. Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins MLA told The Road Ahead with The AA that the changes are evidence-based and draw on international examples of graduated licensing.

6. Why has the UK Government decided against passenger restrictions for new drivers?

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander MP explained that the UK Government sought to balance road safety improvements with young people's freedom to travel for work and other commitments. Rather than introducing passenger restrictions for novice drivers, the Government proposed consulting on measures including a three or six-month minimum learning period and a lower alcohol limit for newly qualified drivers.

7. Would a longer learning period make young drivers safer?

Dr Shaun Helman of TRL argues that a 12-month minimum learning period would give learner drivers more opportunities to experience different roads, weather conditions and driving situations before taking their practical test. The UK Government has instead proposed consulting on a three or six-month minimum learning period. The AA's podcast examines whether these measures would go far enough to improve young driver safety.