AA calls for graduated licensing scheme to prevent deaths of young, inexperienced drivers
Tough measures could save 58 lives each year
The AA claims that at least 58 lives could be saved annually if the UK introduced a graduated driver licensing (GDL) scheme.
The organisation is pushing for the system to be introduced because it could also potentially avoid 260 serious injuries a year across the country.
As a result, the AA’s chief executive, Jakob Pfaudler, has written to Transport Secretary Louise Haigh to press for the introduction of GDL.
Six-month limitations
Under the proposals the AA it is putting forward, GDL would see new drivers under the age of 21 prohibited from carrying peer-age passengers onboard for six months after passing their test, with exemptions made for parents or carers.
Further, the AA would like to see inexperienced drivers facing a six-point penalty for not wearing a seatbelt, which would effectively mean they would lose their licence for an infringement under the New Drivers Act.
New drivers would also have to display a “G”-plate on their vehicle for six months after passing their test, to aid with police enforcement.
“Tragic waste of life”
“GDL has been proven in other countries to significantly reduce road deaths and serious injuries,” Pfaudler said.
“Figures show 290 people were killed in young driver crashes last year, with more than 1,300 seriously injured.
“Not only is this a tragic waste of life, but it contributes to the burden of high insurance premiums for young drivers.
“These premiums should fall when there is evidence of a reduction of young drivers and passengers killed and seriously injured.
“We are calling on the Transport Secretary to make simple, pragmatic changes to the licensing process so young people are better protected in their first few months of independent driving.”
Passenger measures are preferred choice
The AA, along with market research company Yonder, has conducted investigations into GDL and found the passenger restrictions were the most popular element of the scheme, with 33 per cent of survey respondents saying they would implement it first above any other measures.
G-plates followed on with 24 per cent, a logbook corralled 18 per cent and the heavier penalties for not wearing a seatbelt garnered 8 per cent of the responses.
But younger drivers themselves said they were more likely to choose the tougher seatbelt penalties (20 per cent). This is heartening news, as more than a third (36 per cent) of 17-29-year-old drivers who died in a car crash last year were not wearing their seatbelt.
Edmund King, the director of The AA Charitable Trust, added: “Support for GDL is high among drivers and their top priority would be to introduce passenger restrictions.
“Parents tell us that this would help them to restrict their teenagers from taking passengers or being passengers with an inexperienced driver.
“The introduction of passenger restrictions would help mitigate the increased risk young drivers have to manage when they have peer-aged passengers travelling with them. A six-month restriction is a small price to pay for saving young lives.
“There is a great swell of support for the introduction of GDL so this Government has a real opportunity to make it happen and save lives.”
“My daughter would be alive today”
Support for the AA’s GDL proposal came from Sharron Huddleston, who founded the Forget-me-not Families Uniting group for people who have lost loved ones in car crashes – such as herself.
She said: “Graduated licences are a crucial issue. How many more young people need to die before action is taken?
“Our message is simple – listen to us, listen to the experts, listen to The AA, and learn from other countries, who have seen a huge reduction in young driver and passenger deaths after introducing graduated driving licensing for young novice drivers.
“My daughter, Caitlin, would be alive today if action had been taken when the concept of graduated licences was floated years ago.”
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