Drivers could be forced to adhere to new safety requirements and restrictions on UK roads after a debate sparked universal support for more measures.
It comes after a Westminster Hall debate was launched to discuss the introduction of Graduated Driving Licences which would impose a set of limitations on newly qualified drivers.
The need for restrictions has been backed by numerous MPs as well as road safety organisations which warn that without urgent action, fatalities among young drivers will continue to rise.
Reports already detail how one in four deaths on UK roads involves a young driver with restrictions seen as the only viable option forward to help prevent unnecessary losses.
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Elderly drivers over 80 and young drivers are the most at-risk group for road collisions
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According to the Department for Transport, between 2019 and 2023, 16 per cent of young car drivers involved in a road incident or collisions did not wear seatbelts, which was the highest proportion recorded of all age groups.
The Westminster Hall debate detailed numerous proposals to help reduce road fatalities for young drivers with various MPs offering potential solutions.
One of them includes restrictions on newly qualified drivers having passengers in vehicles, while another option includes being forced to travel at lower speed limits, a practice which is already in place in Northern Ireland.
Other moves include introducing mandatory vehicle telematics by insurance companies, known as “black boxes” which can monitor a driver’s performance and speed.
Julia Buckley MP for Shrewsbury who called the debate shared a story about a young driver and his four friends who tragically died after the vehicle fell into a lake.
In response to the accident, Buckley said: “We could invest more in public transport in our rural areas to offer our young people a viable alternative mode of transport to access services.
“There are also proposals for specific safety measures, such as mandating the carrying of an emergency glass hammer in every vehicle as a new standard. These devices can then smash the window glass or cut the seat belt in case of emergency.”
Meanwhile, Anna Sabine, MP for Frome and East Somerset, said there needs to be “serious consideration” into the use of Graduated Driving Licences.
She explained that the licences can be set up in several different ways but may typically involve minimum periods for learning to drive and reducing the number of passengers in a car until passing a probationary period.
However, Anna Dixon MP for Shipley, urged ministers to look at some consideration for post-test licence restrictions as well as restrictions for drivers over 80 who “have a similar risk”.
MP for Tewkesbury Cameron Thomas suggested the widespread use of the under Seventeens Pathfinder initiative, which is active in Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, Yorkshire and Humberside.
“It’s a low-cost and socially mobile initiative, with various bursaries available so that young people of all socioeconomic backgrounds can benefit from help with theoretical and practical training in a controlled environment,” he shared.
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Graduated Driving Licences could impose six-month restrictions on newly qualified drivers
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Rachel Margaret Taylor MP for North Warwickshire and Bedworth concluded: “We need to make sure our young people know if they don’t feel confident driving with passengers, they don’t do it.
“We need to ensure that before passing a driving test, young people have experience of driving in the dark and with passengers, and we need to make sure as adults that we challenge risky driving behaviour whenever we see it.”
A DfT spokesperson told GB News: “Every death on our roads is a tragedy and our thoughts remain with the families of everyone who has lost a loved one in this way.
“Whilst we are not considering Graduated Driving Licences, we absolutely recognise that young people are disproportionately victims of tragic incidents on our roads, and we are considering other measures to tackle this problem and protect young drivers.”
