Public back curbs on new drivers

2/7/2014

By Peter Woodman

2-thirds of the public would like to see restrictions placed on recently certified young drivers, according to an RAC Foundation survey. 

Even 2 in 5 young drivers would back a kind of graduated licensing, the poll identified.

These surveyed had been asked regardless of whether restrictions, possibly lasting 12 months right after a driving test has been passed, must be placed on drivers aged 24 or beneath.

In the poll, of 2,101 adults, 66% showed help for limits on the quantity of passengers newly-certified young drivers could carry and 61% backed a ban on them driving between midnight and 5am.

Whilst 32% of young drivers oppose graduated licensing, 41% assistance some kind of it.

Almost one particular in 8 road casualties brought on by drivers aged 17 to 19

The poll also identified:

• 83% of those surveyed regard young drivers being involved in road accidents as a issue. This compares with 52% who regard older drivers in accidents as a issue


• 71% agreed that politicians should give far more interest to road safety


• 64% of parents say they would make sure their youngsters complied with a graduated licensing system.

Figures have shown that practically 1 in 8 of all road casualties is hurt or killed in collisions involving a auto driver aged 17 to 19. That is in spite of this age group producing up significantly less than one in 60 of all licensed drivers.

Based on the knowledge of other countries exactly where graduated licensing is in operation, a preceding report for the RAC Foundation by the Transport Investigation Laboratory concluded that if such a program was introduced in Britain about 4,500 fewer folks would be hurt in an average year.

This involves about 430 folks who would otherwise have been killed or seriously injured.

“Issue of young driver safety need to be addressed”

RAC Foundation director Professor Stephen Glaister stated: “Just a handful of days ago we saw that deaths on Britain’;s roads had fallen again.

“But the rate of decline more than current years has slowed and the problem of young driver safety is one particular of these matters that need to be addressed.”

He went on: “We now know there is a excellent deal of support for it amongst the British public. What we never know is why ministers have not acted. The present Government has repeatedly promised a green paper on young driver safety and repeatedly failed to generate it.

“If there had been any other location of public overall health policy exactly where this level of harm was taking spot there would be an outcry, however as a nation we seem to accept what is taking place to many of our young men and women when they get behind the wheel.”

Public back curbs on new drivers