The UK Government has confirmed that it won’t be introducing graduated driving licences (GDLs) after a recent debate in Parliament.
On Tuesday, January 28th, Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood told MPs that “Although the two-year probation period for new drivers was introduced in 1995, young drivers, especially men aged 17 to 24, continue to be among the highest-risk groups for fatalities, both as drivers and passengers, considering the population size and miles driven.
“While recent statistics show an 80% decrease in the number of young drivers killed on our roads since 1990, we cannot afford to be complacent – 90 deaths, the figure for 2023, is still 90 too many.”
What’s the Government’s plan instead?
Rather than imposing additional rules on new drivers, Greenwood said the Government will focus on tackling the root causes of accidents without unfairly penalising young people.
“While we are not considering graduated driving licences. We fully acknowledge that young people are disproportionately affected by tragic accidents on our roads. That’s why we’re exploring ways to address the underlying causes of this, without unfairly penalising young drivers." said Greenwood.
“This Government is committed to ensuring young people have access to employment, education, and other opportunities, while also keeping them safe on the roads.”
Under current UK law, all new drivers—regardless of age—already face a two-year probation period under the Road Traffic Act 1995.
What’s the industry reaction?
Simon Williams, head of policy at the RAC said, “Despite the Future of Roads Minister firmly ruling out graduated driver licensing in Tuesday’s parliamentary debate on road safety for young drivers, it’s clear the Government intends to take action to save lives.
“We’re pleased to hear this and are keen to find out what measures it believes will make the biggest difference, especially given so many young drivers are involved in collisions in their first year of driving.”
What is a Graduated Driving Licence (GDL)?
GDLs are used in several countries to gradually introduce new drivers to the road with extra restrictions in place. These can include:
- Passenger limits
- Driving curfews
- Stricter drink-driving limits
- Lower speed limits
- Mandatory ‘P’ plates
- Restrictions on engine size/power
Although Parliament has ruled out GDLs for now, the debate around road safety for young drivers is far from over. Expect further discussions on alternative measures in the near future.
