IAM RoadSmart welcomes PM pledge to review graduated licences for new drivers – calling it long overdue

Road safety charity IAM RoadSmart has welcomed Prime Minister Theresa May’s pledge to look at introducing a graduated licensing (GDL) scheme for young drivers – calling it long overdue.

The pledge came during Prime Minister’s Questions, as Labour MP Jenny Chapman told MPs that one in four young drivers was involved in an accident within the first two years of starting to drive.

As Mrs May said: "There are too many people who suffer a loss and tragedy at the hands of learner drivers and we will certainly look at that." 

Although very few learner drivers are responsible for deaths, IAM RoadSmart strongly support a review of the way we equip new drivers to cope with the first few dangerous months of solo driving. Road crashes are the biggest killer of young people in the UK today, but in our view are not treated with the same urgency as knife or drug crime. 

Neil Greig, IAM RoadSmart director of policy and research, said: “Too many young drivers pass the practical test unprepared for the road so any GDL scheme must focus on building experience in all traffic conditions.

“GDL shouldn’t stop at the practical test and IAM RoadSmart supports post-test check-ups to embed learning and help new drivers negotiate our stressful roads.”

ENDS

Notes to editors:

To download a copy of our report Young Novice Driver Collision Types click here: https://www.iamroadsmart.com/docs/default-source/default-document-library/0335_young-driver-collision-document-v02.pdf?sfvrsn=f04431f1_0

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IAM RoadSmart has a mission to make better drivers and riders in order to improve road safety, inspire confidence and make driving and riding enjoyable. It does this through a range of courses for all road users, from online assessments through to the advanced driving and riding tests. IAM RoadSmart is the trading name of all businesses operated by the UK’s largest road safety charity, the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) and was formed in April 2016 combining the IAM, IAM Drive & Survive, PDS and IAM Driver Retraining Academy. The organisation has 92,000 members and campaigns on road safety on their behalf. At any one time there are over 7,000 drivers and riders actively engaged with IAM RoadSmart’s courses, from members of the public to company drivers, while our Driver Retraining Academy has helped 2,500 drivers to shorten their bans through education and support programmes.

To find out more about IAM RoadSmart products and services visit the new website www.iamroadsmart.com                                

To find out more about IAM RoadSmart’s Driver Retraining Academy visit www.iamdra.org.uk                       

To find out the name of your own local IAM RoadSmart group please visit: https://wwwiamroadsmart.com/local-groups  

ENDS ALL