Young drivers face five driving licence changes under radical overhaul
New driving licence proposals could see more restrictions placed on motorists. Transport minister Lilian Greenwood said the Labour Party Government is analysing the effectiveness of a zero-alcohol policy in other countries.
Ms Greenwood said: “While we are not considering graduated driving licences, we absolutely recognise that young people are disproportionately victims of tragic collisions on our roads, and that is why we are exploring options to tackle the root causes of this without unfairly penalising young drivers.
“This Government wants to ensure young people’s access to employment, education and other opportunities, while also keeping them safe on the roads.” Ms Greenwood said the department is also considering analysis on the effectiveness of other potential measures to improve safety for young and new drivers.
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As well as a zero alcohol limit, the changes could include a shake up around:
keeping a log book
extra hazard perception training
classroom-based education
mentoring and telematics, which uses technology to track driver behaviour
She said: "THINK! campaigns have shown positive results, but we know that changing ingrained attitudes and behaviours takes time. This year, we are doing even more to land the vital messages, including working with content creators and influential platforms such as LADbible to tackle speeding via the voices that young audiences trust.
"Before Christmas, THINK! launched a major new drink-driving campaign, which highlighted the risk of losing one’s licence after drinking even a little before driving, and the subsequent impact on the freedoms that we know mean a lot to young drivers. As a number of hon. Members have said, we also need to address other dangerous behaviours, including failing to wear a seatbelt, using a mobile phone while driving and taking drugs before driving, which sadly is a growing problem.
"We need to use every opportunity to educate young people about road safety, and that involves working with mayors, local councils, police and crime commissioners, police, schools, colleges, charities, and the many parents and families who have generously used their tragic experience to try to help others make better choices."