Keoghs will today (30 January) call on the Government to introduce a “graduated” driving licence for young motorists to cut the number of young drivers dying on UK roads.
Young drivers aged between 17 and 24 account for only 7% of licence holders but make up 16% of road deaths.
Under a Graduated Driving Licence (GDL) regime, new drivers build their skills over time rather than head out onto the roads as soon as they have passed their test. The system is already used in New Zealand, Australia and Canada, and introducing a GDL in the UK could significantly reduce the number of crashes, casualties and fatalities involving young drivers.
Keoghs, the UK’s leading specialist in dispute resolution services for the insurance industry, will urge the Government to introduce new measures to protect young motorists at a parliamentary reception that it is hosting with Jenny Chapman, the Labour MP and young driver safety advocate.
The two hosts will use the event to bring together a wide range of MPs and road safety campaigners to build more support for the GDL regime.
Samantha Ramen, Director of Market & Public Affairs at Keoghs, said:
“Keoghs has been working closely with its clients and road safety partners to help develop workable, realistic solutions to the issue of young driver safety. We believe that a range of measures including a Graduated Driving Licence regime is the best way to tackle this critical issue and stop young drivers disproportionately dying on the UK’s roads.”
Jenny Chapman MP said:
“I am proud to be working closely with families, charities, colleagues and organisations such as Keoghs on road safety. It is tragic that young drivers make up 16% of road deaths despite only being 7% of licence holders.
“There is a clear need for change in the UK to develop solutions to ensure our young drivers have the skills and experience required to navigate the UK’s increasingly busy road network.”
Insurance Edge Comment:
Young drivers may well make up 16% road deaths but how many of these tragic incidents involve uninsured drivers, Police pursuits, drivers without the correct licence entitlement in the UK, drug/alcohol factors, or perhaps no car at all – the young person is killed by an older driver while walking or cycling.
Raw data doesn’t tell the whole story, but the facts from the Dept of Transport show a steep decline in road deaths over the last ten years. Almost certainly much of this is down to safer cars protecting the occupants, plus lower speeds because of congestion.
A graduated licence isn’t much use to someone planning to drive completely illegally, or disconnect their insurance telematics app when they fancy a Friday night cruise with some tyre-smokin’ donuts on the side, to impress their mates on Snapchat.
It may seem deeply unfashionable, but perhaps it could be more useful to have more Police patrols instead of cameras on our roads, plus special vehicle seizure teams active at weekends when so many young men like to race each other? #Justsaying
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