Road Safety groups back Caitlin's Campaign
The RAC and BRAKE join our calls for GDL in the UK
Last updated 2nd Sep 2019
Road Safety Campaigners are throwing their weight behind our drive to make the roads safer for young people across the UK.
We've teamed up with Sharron Huddleston whose daughter Caitlin was killed in a crash in Cumbria last year. She's launching Caitlin's Campaign after the Coroner at Caitlin's inquest recommended the Government bring in a Graduated Driving Licence in the UK, something which both Road Safety Charity BRAKE and the RAC have been calling for for a number of years.
Pete Williams, head of Road Safety for the RAC, says, "It's about having a defined period of learning so that you can't just go off and do a crash course over a weekend, and be on the roads the following week. It would be at least six months of learning, getting used to different road conditions, and learning how to use a car properly. A restrictions on the number of passengers you can carry will also mean there's less of a distraction behind the wheel whilst a new driver builds their confidence behind the wheel"
He went on to say, "We completely welcome Caitlin's Campaign. It's vital that all the agencies and the Government and communities actually get together to discuss this isssue and consider what the options are. Unfortunately the level of injury and fatality has actually increased in the last few years and we need to address that trend immediately.
A report carried out by the RAC in 2014 suggested more than 400 deaths and serious injuries could be prevented every year on the UK's roads, if a Graduated Driving Licence system was introduced. It could also save the economy £200m annually through crash prevention.
It's also something that Road Safety Charity BRAKE has been calling.
Research shows that the younger and less experienced a driver is, the greater their crash risk. Under the UK licensing system, drivers as young as 17 can become fully licensed in a few months or even weeks. 89% of young UK drivers complete less than the recommended 40 hours of driving lessons before taking their test. This gives them little time to develop experience before being allowed out on the road unsupervised.
BRAKE calls for a minimum learning period of one year before taking a theory or practical test. This means that all learner drivers would have time to develop experience under full supervision before being allowed out alone. A novice driver stage would allow young drivers to drive independently while protecting them from high-risk situations at this early stage in their driving career