A new graduated driving license system has been proposed for the UK, but what actually is a graduated license? A graduated driver’s licence system – or GDL for short – has been adopted by Australia, New Zealand and parts of the US. Now the UK is thinking of joining in to help keep our roads safer for all drivers.
Theresa May has recently debated looking into putting a GDL system in place in the UK, but what could it mean for new drivers? Young drivers between the ages of 17 and 19 could face a minimum learning period of 6 months before they are able to apply to take a driving test. Also, newly passed drivers would be restricted as to how many passengers they can carry, particularly between the hours of 11pm and 6am, for a set period until they earn their full license.
"The shocking statistic that a quarter of accidents across the UK every year involve young or newly passed drivers has lead the Prime Minister to consider measures such as the GDL".
The aim of the graduated licence is to allow young drivers to build up experience of driving at night, driving with passengers and driving at high speeds, slowly and with supervision, even after they have passed their test.
The shocking statistic that a quarter of accidents across the UK every year involve young or newly passed drivers has lead the prime minister to consider measures such as the GDL in order to reduce these numbers. Novice drivers could be asked to display ‘P’ plates for up to two years after passing their test to make other road users aware that they still have a ‘restricted licence.’
"BRAKE, the Road Safety Charity, states that one in four drivers under the age of 24 will have a crash in their first two years of drivng".
This idea has already been tested in other countries. In Australia, anyone under 19 or anyone who has passed their test for less than two years has a ‘provisional’ licence, which comes with restrictions such as zero blood alcohol level when driving, and only being allowed to carry one passenger under the age of 21. In other parts of Australia, there are two types of ‘provisional’ licence, and you have each one for 12 months and each restricts night time driving, number of passengers, and how fast you are able to travel.
Brake, the road safety charity, states that one in four drivers under the age of 24 will have a crash in their first two years of driving. The GDL system – in reducing speed limits for newly-passed drivers, reducing the amount of distractions in the form of passengers and alcohol, and also prohibiting novice drivers from driving late at night – could significantly reduce this number, with the potential to make the roads safer for young and experienced drivers alike.
