Learner drivers might have to attend six months earlier than taking take a look at | EUROtoday

Learner drivers in England and Wales might face a minimal studying interval of as much as six months earlier than sitting their sensible take a look at, the BBC can reveal.

The authorities will unveil the measure, which shall be topic to session, as a part of its wider highway security technique launched on Wednesday.

The shake-up of driving legal guidelines is aimed toward lowering the variety of individuals killed or badly injured on Britain’s roads by 65% over the following decade, and by 70% for kids below 16.

Around a fifth of all deaths or critical accidents from crashes concerned a younger automobile driver in 2024.

The authorities believes a minimal interval between sitting the idea take a look at and the sensible take a look at would assist learner drivers develop their expertise, together with driving in numerous situations.

The Department for Transport will seek the advice of on three or six months for the minimal studying interval.

It would come with any casual studying they could do with mother and father or guardians in addition to formal classes with a driving teacher.

Evidence from different international locations suggests minimal studying durations might cut back collisions by as much as 32%. Currently, learner drivers can take classes from 17 and e book a sensible take a look at as quickly as they’ve handed a idea examination.

The majority of driving exams in Britain are taken by under-25s. In 2024-25, about 55% of exams have been taken by drivers aged 17-24.

Learner drivers at present face a ready time of round six months to take their sensible exams anyway, as a result of a backlog from the Covid pandemic. The backlog is anticipated to final till late 2027.

The proposed adjustments might see an finish to youngsters passing their exams days after turning 17, which means the youngest drivers could be not less than 17 and a half.

There have been vociferous campaigns for “graduated driving licences” (GDLs) to be launched within the UK. Different international locations have various kinds of GDLs, corresponding to not permitting newly certified drivers to hold passengers or not letting them drive at night time.

Proponents of GDLs embrace some mother and father of younger individuals who have died on the roads.

Sharron Huddleston began campaigning for GDLs to be launched eight years in the past after her daughter Caitlin was killed in a crash aged 18.

Sharron helps the proposed minimal studying interval however mentioned: “We need the post-test safety precautions as well.”

The driver, Skye Mitchell, who was additionally killed, had handed her take a look at 4 months earlier.

Sharron believes Caitlin “would still be here” if the UK had graduated driving licences which forbade newly certified, younger drivers from carrying passengers their very own age.

“All the girls [in the car] were 18,” she mentioned.

“This is the strongest element of a graduated driving licence that would save many young lives.”

The AA has welcomed the measures introduced by the federal government, however mentioned not introducing GDLs was “a missed opportunity”.

Its president Edmund King instructed the BBC that “all the evidence, from Australia, from Canada, from other countries” reveals that limiting the variety of same-age passengers in a automobile for six months “will save lives”.

He mentioned of the training interval: “That will help, but the question is: does it go far enough?”

The highway security technique can even embrace proposals for a decrease drink-driving restrict in England and Wales, to deliver them in keeping with Scotland. Novice drivers would have an excellent decrease restrict, which is already the case in Northern Ireland.

The BBC revealed in October that additional analysis into headlight glare could be included within the technique.

Twenty-one-year-old Alisa Fielder from Surrey handed her take a look at as a young person however crashed a yr in the past as she was making an attempt to overhaul a lorry on a motorway. Nobody was injured, however her automobile was written off.

“I took too long checking the blind spot and all the cars in front had stopped,” she mentioned.

“If I had maybe taken some more lessons then I would know that you can’t really take that long.”

She did not drive for a yr after the crash. She has since finished a casual evaluation with charity IAM RoadSmart to spice up her confidence and work out what she must work on.

“I wasn’t driving to the best standard and that’s why I had a crash.”

Alisa mentioned the method of turning into a greater driver ought to proceed after an individual passes their take a look at. “Maybe more lessons that you’re required to take with a professional.”

Local Transport Minister Lilian Greenwood mentioned younger individuals make up simply 6% of all drivers, however are concerned in almost 1 / 4 of deadly and critical collisions.

“Inexperience puts drivers, their passengers, and other road users at greater risk,” she mentioned.

The proposed studying interval “is all about supporting young drivers to develop the confidence they need to stay safe and giving them more time to build their skills and gain experience in different driving conditions”.