IAM RoadSmart welcome new commitments to Graduated Driver Licensing but are not convinced on a night-time driving ban for young drivers

The government's long-awaited commitment to investigating some form of Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) is great news for road safety say IAM RoadSmart but it is not convinced a night-time driving ban for young drivers is needed alongside other new restrictions.

The Department for Transport (DfT) has announced today (18 July) a graduated licence system to restrict new drivers is being considered.

Neil Greig, IAM RoadSmart director of policy and research, said: "We strongly support many of the key components of a successful GDL scheme, in particular the 12-month minimum learning period which will ensure a much wider range of driving experience, but we still need to be convinced that night-time curfews will work and support a pilot scheme first.  

"Gaining the right experience behind the wheel is the key to a lifetime of safe driving; restricting the opportunity to learn how to drive safely at night seems counterintuitive. Restrictions on the distraction caused by peer passengers makes more sense but some flexibility will be required.  We also support a lower drink drive limit in the first years of driving"

Neil Greig, IAM RoadSmart director of policy and research, said: "Road crashes are the biggest killer of young people today and the risk factors are well known; rural roads, darkness, distraction and alcohol and drugs.

"Choosing effective restrictions to limit the known risk factors should be the key objective of government in creating a new licensing system that is practical, affordable and works to reduce young driver road deaths and injuries.

"Today's news is a great first step in ensuring that a young person's lifetime journey on our roads does not end before it has even started."