To think we urgently need graduated licences for newly qualified drivers?

[Cherryann]

Have just read of the tragic, terrible deaths of 3 beautiful teenagers, killed by their 17 year old friend’s dangerous driving, just 5 weeks after he’d passed his test - I am so horrified that our uncaring government is refusing to introduce restrictions on new teen drivers. For instance, restrictions preventing them from carrying passengers for a certain period, or driving in the dark, or carrying more than a certain number of passengers, or carrying passengers of their own age or younger.
Other countries do this, including New Zealand, Australia & Ireland! Why can’t we?
How many more teenagers will need to die such pointless awful deaths? How many bereaved parents?
Yes graduated licences will restrict teen freedoms- but so do restrictions on drug & alcohol use. There are good reasons why we have different rules for different ages & different degrees of knowledge & experience.
So, AIBU to think we urgently need graduated licences for newly qualified young drivers?

Their brains are not fully developed. This is common knowledge, and still young people are allowed to be in control of a moving vehicle from the age of 17. This young man did not set out to kill his friends. It is a tragic situation.

I’m in 2 minds, I have 2 teenage sons 1 driver, 1 learner. Both sensible both use the car(s) for work/college and need to drive late at night

i have more concerns with the over 70’s drivers, partially sighted, partial hearing, zero response times and zero self awareness of how poor their driving is.

id happily have over 70’s retaking driving tests yearly.

I personally did impose restrictions when my DS passed his test at 17. No teenage passengers whilst he was at school - ever. Fortunately he was in agreement so it was not a battle. But I think a law is needed. I saw a thread on here once where an OP was asking about 17yos newly driving and someone responded oh yes, as soon as my dd passed at 17, she and a car load of friends drove off to Brighton (which was not local). The poster thought this was great and was advocating for other teens to just crack on.

The battle I did have was to stop my DS accepting lifts off other 17yo drivers. Although he was in agreement, it was awkward when there is a friend with a car and you say no thanks, my mum will pick me up. It made me look controlling, but I just thought fuckit - I'll own it - yes I am in control because I'm the boss of a child and that's that.

My youngest is 17 this month and many friends are already 17. It's going to be more of a battle I think to stop them all getting in a car together. But it's a battle I'm going to fight and I'm willing to be the bad guy in this situation so that she can just blame it on me and say I'm a controlling mum.

How many more car loads of teens will die before the govt takes action?

I don’t agree with graduated licenses when you have to be 18 to drive. It eliminates younger adults from having certain jobs that involve driving all because there are a few that drive dangerously/recklessly. Most countries that have them allow teens to drive at a younger age- 14 to 17, rather than 18.

I agree. Due to the pandemic, I am hoping my DD gets her license before her 21st birthday! If you don’t pass the road test, it is at least a 6month wait to get another test.

Minimum driving age is 17 for most in the UK, I believe some can drive slightly younger for medical reasons (16?)

I remember at least 3 multiple fatality accidents, when I was a teenager, of young drivers. As per PP, every summer a car would go into a tree on a corner somewhere or other.
These are easy laws to pass, hardly controversial.

What happened is awful, so sad and pointless. I'm not sure blanket bans on passengers is the solution.

It's tricky in rural areas. We have to get our teens driving asap so that they can get to sixth form as there are literally no buses. We rely on older siblings and youngsters driving each other.

That said, black boxes and smaller engines are generally integral to this.

Yes R drivers are restricted to driving 45mph which is incredibly dangerous for motorway driving in rush hour. Joining a busy motorway at 45mph is almost impossible and a recipe for disaster.

Not sure because some wouldn't take any notice anyway.

In principle it sounds like a good idea, but in practice I’m not so sure. What is the cut off age? 21? 25? A certain number of years after you got your licence? No driving after dark…how and who polices this? What about young parents? Are we saying they can’t drive their baby around once they’ve passed their test for a period of time? I agree parents have a role to play here, if young teenagers have their own cars or access to one it’s going to be because parents have paid for provided it. Then it must come with restrictions like my parents did for me.

(Remind me- how much do MPs get paid, to make laws?)

A lot less than sports personalities, tv presenters, soap opera actors....

Not all new drivers are 17/18. I am learning in my early 30s. I dont think older new drivers should be punished for teenage idiocy.

This is down to parental responsibility and the driver’s own actions.

The government is keen to put ever more hurdles in the path of getting a motorcycle licence with now three or four levels of licence dictating what you can ride, but car licence requirements haven't really changed since the introduction of the theory test 30 years ago.

It’s 17 not 18! Unless you’re not in the UK?

The bend that accident happened on is notorious to locals. There have been many accidents there. There really isn't much evidence about the accident as no one involved can remember anything and there are no witnesses.

My heart goes out to all of the families involved. The knock on effect on all of them is horrific. Young people just making there way home after school in a rural area.

Unfortunately, I do agree regarding more restrictions. That's after I took passed at 17 and used to drive to work and school. Those of us who can think back to that time will have many memories of making daft decisions.

I would also suggest a ban on driving 'Light Commercials' until you have held a clean licence for a year and NO moped or motorbike work until a years clean licence

Testing all the over 70 year old drivers annually would be impossible. They aren’t enough driving examiners to conduct tests for new drivers as it is. The process to stop older drivers after they have a dementia diagnosis needs to be tightened up. If you’re diagnosed you are support to tell the DVLA and your insurer but many people don’t and family members can be slow to report incompetent relatives.

I’ve passed my test recently at the age of 27. I’m very cautious and I’ve stuck to the roads I know for now until I become more competent. 17 year old me? I was wild and it would have been a completely different story.

We definitely need stronger regulations for drivers aged between 17-20.

100% agree.

Y9 DD has just joined an extra curricular activity where they sometimes go on trips away. I was asked if I gave permission for her to be driven by young drivers. I expect most parents tick the box. I said no to anyone under 21. I do worry it may make things awkward for her, but she understands my reasons. If it were made law, it would be better for us all.

RIP those poor kids.

I understand the anger of families who have lost young people, but I don't agree with lumping all teen drivers into one. My dc couldn't have done their jobs if the couldn't drive in the dark. It was because of those jobs that driving was important.
The overwhelming majority of young drivers don't drive like the stories that hit the news. They hit the news because it is an unusual event. The millions of journeys driven every day by teens don't make the news, because they drive sensibly.

Sorry, I am in U.K. but was a military brat teen who got her first drivers license in Cyprus so wrongly assumed parity.

No, it comes under personal responsibility.

I don’t disagree but parents get 17+ years to instill good driving habits into their kids before they can drive on the roads. I learned to drive years before I could get behind the wheel.