To think the new driving proposals are a fantastic idea?

[Sallystyle]

Teenagers could have to wait a year longer than currently before they are allowed to take their driving test.

The government is considering issuing only 12-month probationary licences at the age of 18 in a bid to cut accidents involving young motorists.

New drivers would also face a curfew between 22:00 and 05:00 unless a passenger aged over 30 was in the car.
It recommended a one-year "learner stage" during which drivers would have to total at least 100 hours of daytime and 20 hours of night-time practice under supervision.

During this stage, drivers under the age of 30 would also be banned from carrying any passengers also under 30.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-24485792

There is also talk about making motorway lessons mandatory.

Wouldn't this put the price of learning to drive out of reach of many more people?

What they should do is make the pass plus compulsory, and you can't drive unsupervised on the motorway until you complete it.

The above sound complicated. The under 30 thing is bonkers. Effectively you could be a parent and not allowed your child as a passenger.

Better lessons are more important, at present you don't learn to drive, you learn to pass your test. Limiting the car you can drive would also be sensible as per the motor bike rules.

I am learning to drive, what am I meant to do if I pass then need to take one of dcs to hospital between the curfew hours or would it not apply ?

What do you mean you don't learn to drive, just learn to pass your test?

I have my 2nd test next week so just curious :)

Hang on, I am stupid.

I thought the curfew was only for teens?

YABU.

The idea of needing to do more to pass the test I agree with BUT if someone is deemed enough of a driver to pass the test then why do they need further restrictions?

I passed at the age of 18. Within days I was driving evenings (passed 10pm) in order to do my voluntary work, I also often carried passengers. I did so safely.

I know people who have passed their test after having children, are they going to be banned from driving their children?

What if you need a car to get a job which involves nightshifts? What if it's the only work available? DH needed a licence to be a copper. He has to drive at night. He wouldn't have been able to work under these rules.

Why don't they make the driving test different? I know too many people who could drive within the law enough to sit a 40 minute 'test' and are menaces on the road. I know many more people who could drive brilliantly but couldn't pass the test due to luck on the day/nerves etc.

I think a decent driving instructor should have a log of when you're safe on each competency including motorways and driving at night. And you should be assessed over a period of weeks and months as you learn instead of this ridiculous, can you pass a driving 'test' situation we currently have.

YABU. A lot of students work late nights and weekends to make end meet. Generally in pubs and hospitality industry, shift work.

Terrible idea to blanket ban everyone of that age. The man power should go on stronger enforcement of the law on trouble makers and repeat offenders.

Also on education and advanced driving lessons should be essential IMO.

YABU It's penalising the teenagers/young people who drive sensibly. If you can drive then you can drive. Whether you follow the rules and drive carefully or not is generally not dependant on age.

Dd1 is just 17. She'll be learning to drive soon because she needs to be able to drive, rural area, bad transport, etc. The idea of her not being able to drive her friends to college or to the cinema and other such places is ridiculous. Or not being able to drive herself home from an evening job!

There are many drivers who have been driving for a long time who could do with some kind of refresher.
Maybe that should be included instead of assuming every under 25 is a boy racer.

Maybe I was wrong I assumed the curfew was for new drivers of any age?

Some of them are ridiculous, especially the no passengers if you're under 30, What the heck? I was married with 2 kids by then. In fact at 18/19 I worked night shifts so I needed my car to get to/ from work.

Wtf?!

So many things wrong with this proposal I don't even know where to begin!

Wouldn't this put the price of learning to drive out of reach of many more people?

Insurance for young/new drivers already does a good job of that; extended learning, if successful, should see reductions in insurance premiums making costs lower overall.

I think some of the ideas are somewhat daft - unless a passenger aged over 30 was in the car. Does the passenger have to have a licence? If they don't have one, what is the benefit of having them in the car?

120 hours tuition is about 3 times more than is required for a private pilot's licence (which you can also get at 17).

I think that all drivers should be subject to some sort of continuing development (professional bodies demand it for members to keep accreditations, why should it not apply to driving 1.5 tonnes of metal at speed?) - rack up a set amount of hours or points over 5 years or so or be required to retake a driving test. This could be covered by theory tests, awareness courses, skid pan training, car control/track/rally experiences/training courses, adavanced driving such as RoSPA/IAM and police instruction.

IABU

I concede :)

I do think that the pass pluss should be mandatory though.

I have five children and will hopefully pass my test next week, the curfews would be a pain in the arse for me. Didn't really think it through!

So as an under 30, (who is hoping to learn to drive if I get the job I've applied for) I will not be ablr to drive at night (and therefore to work) or take my dc in the car?
Ummm. Ok! Won't bother learning then!

I really thought it was the teens only when I wrote this.

Although even then I can now see it's a bad idea.

It's just more restrictions for young people.

It's hard enough as it is for a "young person" to find a decent, well-paying job. These restrictions are just going to make it even harder. It basically means most young people can't do bar work or night shifts or work somewhere where you're required to finish late or start early (supermarkets, warehouse work, etc.)

I'm 25 and work in a supermarket. Some of my shifts start at 5am (so I have to be driving before then, obviously) and some finish as late as 11pm. I wouldn't be able to do that job without a car or without someone to give me a lift due to where we live.

I agree with the PP who said that the concept of a "driving test" is a bit stupid. Some people are very safe drivers but are rubbish under test conditions. Some people can drive well enough in 40 minutes to pass a test but are rubbish in real life. My driving instructor kept a log of how well you could do things and ticked them off when you reached test standard.

I think once you reach "test standard" on everything, including night and motorway driving, your instructor should be able to issue you with a driving license, so long as you've passed your theory test. Obviously this means tightening rules around who can teach driving, but it would be better than the current proposals.

Wow, that was long!

YABU. You'd end up with an increase in the benefits bill as loads of young people suddenly wouldn't be able to afford to get to their jobs! IME they'd do better introducing a mini driving test, including things like observation, reaction times and knowledge of road safety regulations/Highway Code for the over-75s, maybe every other year. That coupled with having enough police officers to enforce the legislation we've already got (mobile phones, speed limits, careless driving) would make a massive difference to road safety!

To be honest, I feel more worried about very elderly drivers being out late, we have had a couple of near misses when dh has been driving due to drivers who perhaps should have given up.

In fact I think that teen drivers and very elderly drivers need similar 'restrictions'. My df is 76 and still drives but in the last few years I have noticed his reactions are much slower and I doubt he would pass the current test.

Actually, it looks like you can get your license at 17 but will have the curfews in place until you are 18.

If you are over 18 then none of this applies.

Well, this is what I think this quote means:

'The Government-commissioned report by the Transport Research Laboratory suggests learner drivers will still be granted provisional licences at the age of 17.

But they will have to complete a 12-month "learner stage" that would require drivers to clock up at least 100 hours of daytime and 20 hours of night-time supervised practice.'

It is a silly idea.

Like you I thought it was a good idea until I read through it properly OP.

I think the idea of extra tuition for night driving and motorways is a really good one. Perhaps if it was related to reduced insurance costs that would be a win-win for everyone? But I can't see how you'd police the other suggestions.