More than six in 10 UK drivers believe graduated driving licences could make roads safer, according to new research published as Northern Ireland introduces its own scheme for newly qualified motorists.
A survey of 1,501 UK drivers by Tempcover found that 63% believe graduated driving licences (GDLs) would reduce road crashes if introduced across the UK.
The findings come as Northern Ireland introduces graduated driver licensing, with new restrictions designed to give young and newly qualified drivers more time to build experience before receiving full driving freedoms.
Under the Northern Ireland system, new drivers must wait six months after receiving a provisional licence before taking their practical test and complete 14 training modules.
Once they pass, they will have to display an R plate for 24 months. Drivers under 24 will also face restrictions on carrying young passengers between 11pm and 6am during their first six months of driving.
The changes are intended to reduce the risks faced by inexperienced drivers, particularly in situations such as night-time driving and carrying groups of young passengers. Tempcover’s research suggests there is significant support for similar measures elsewhere in the UK.
Alongside the 63% who believe GDLs could reduce road crashes overall:
- 41% believe they could reduce crashes involving young drivers;
- 35% believe they could help young people become better and safer drivers; and
- 34% believe they could encourage safer driving habits in the longer term.
There are concerns about the impact on young people, however. Some respondents said restrictions could reduce independence, make day-to-day travel more difficult or discourage young people from learning to drive.
Claire Wills-McKissick, learner driver insurance expert at Tempcover, said the measures were designed to address specific risks faced by new drivers.
“Extending the supervised learning phase gives more time to experience a wider variety of road and weather conditions, helping new drivers build stronger, instinctual driving habits,” she said.
She added that restricting late-night passengers could reduce distractions during what can be more challenging journeys.
Graduated licensing is not new internationally, with systems operating in countries including the Republic of Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and parts of the US.
The issue has also been debated in Westminster, although the UK Government has previously said it had no plans to introduce a graduated driving licence scheme for young and newly qualified drivers.
The latest research therefore comes at a time when the approach is being tested in practice in Northern Ireland, while the question of whether similar measures should be adopted elsewhere in the UK remains open. For road safety campaigners, the argument is that passing a driving test should mark the start of independent driving rather than the end of the learning process.
Tempcover said reducing collisions among younger motorists could also have implications for insurance costs, with drivers aged 17 to 25 generally facing higher premiums because of their greater likelihood of being involved in accidents.
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