From mandatory seatbelt laws to evolving licensing requirements, the UK’s driving regulations have continuously adapted to improve road safety. But are current rules stringent enough to address the dangers posed by newly qualified and older drivers? While the practical test has become more challenging over the years, concerns remain over whether young people – often lacking experience and overestimating their driving abilities – should face further restrictions. At the same time, discussions around exemptions for older drivers raise questions about fairness.
With debates intensifying over whether stricter licensing measures, including passenger bans and curfews, could reduce accidents, it’s crucial to weigh the potential benefits against the impact on personal freedom. Are these proposed changes to graduate licensing a necessary step toward safer roads, or do they risk disproportionately affecting responsible drivers? Let’s explore whether tougher regulations would make a difference.
It’s no secret that young drivers are more dangerous on the road; 75% agreed. Despite more casualties being caused by young people, there is also another cohort that gets into even more accidents – the older generation. Older drivers cause significantly more accidents than younger drivers, yet only 17% rated older age groups as the most dangerous.
Young drivers tend to cause more serious injuries than older drivers, causing 10x more road deaths than the over-70s. They’re more likely to be travelling at higher speeds, with less control, and while taking unnecessary risks. A lack of experience and overconfidence exacerbate these issues. Rural UK roads cause a disproportionate number of serious accidents, and nighttime driving may also encourage more risky behaviour in young people.
Careless driving, including failing to properly observe, was the number one cause of newly graduated driver accidents, which deviates from the consensus that speeding was the primary danger.
When it comes to older, more experienced drivers, visual or cognitive impairment, as well as outdated knowledge of the highway code, could contribute to accidents, particularly in urban, more densely populated settings.
Over the past decade, the number of young driver accidents has declined by approximately half, saving countless drivers, passengers, and other road users’ lives.
More challenging driving tests, the introduction of hazard perception, modern vehicle technology and harsher law enforcement could be to credit for the drop in young driver casualties. However, they’re still the most dangerous cohort – 32% of casualties involving a young male driver are fatal compared to 3% involving the over 70s.
Brits suggested that enforcing the use of in-car technologies such as black boxes, speed limiters, cruise control, or sensors could help limit the number of accidents among young people. They also suggested that limiting the number of passengers of a similar age and increasing driving education requirements could be beneficial. While helpful, these interventions could come at a significant cost to the driver.
On the other hand, in recent years, the number of fatal elderly male casualties has been on the rise. This could be due to an increase in the number of road users, an increasing average lifespan, or a decreased reliance on public transport since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Brits suggest, in addition to regular eye tests, that older individuals take cognitive and health assessments, such as fit-to-drive tests, to keep their driving licence valid.
There are some challenges with imposing harsher regulations for drivers. Cars offer a sense of freedom and independence that both young and old value. Secondarily, broad enforcement of rules could unfairly impact confident drivers, including (generally) young females. The converse of imposing gendered restrictions could be controversial.
In 2024, the UK government discussed new rules for young drivers, such as banning passengers and a curfew for night driving. Patterns indicate that young people behave more recklessly at night and when they’re carrying peers. What’s more, young drivers from deprived areas pose the greatest risk.
For young people, perceptions by peers, independence, and being able to provide social value are important parts of finding your place – a car is the holy grail. This could be more apparent in deprived areas where social position is a form of ‘currency’. However, consideration for road safety can quickly be disregarded when peer pressure enters the picture.
Another reason why we could see more accidents in deprived areas is affordability, especially regarding car maintenance, vehicle age, and tech specifications. Young drivers from less affluent areas may have older motor vehicles without some modern safety features, and they may be less likely to pay for regular vehicle services. However, we don’t see the same pattern across all ages. Older drivers are the most dangerous in affluent areas.
Similarly to peer pressure, there is a tendency, especially in young men, to take more risks, even when their peers aren’t encouraging it. It may be the case that deprived areas offer fewer enrichment opportunities for youngsters, leading them to seek a thrill by driving dangerously. Newly qualified motorists also tend to be overconfident and under-skilled, resulting in dangerous driving.
Learner drivers don’t legally need to use professional tuition. This could mean that individuals without access to affordable driving lessons may not be adequately prepared to drive in the UK, even if they have the necessary skills to pass the test. Enforcing minimum learning periods, like in Australia, could impact deprived areas disproportionately.
It’s common for new drivers to own cheaper cars and forego comprehensive insurance coverage. However, with the heightened risk of serious collisions, this decision could cost you. 1 in 5 young drivers gets into a car crash within a year of passing their practical driving test. And over 1/3 write off their car at some point.
Inexperienced drivers may want to get additional coverage in place for financial protection if they get into an accident. Comprehensive car insurance pays a market value settlement if you right off your car, but this doesn’t cover depreciation, outstanding finance, loan payments or insurance excess. GAP insurance is a type of cover that tops up your car insurance payout after a write-off and covers a large portion of your car insurance excess, making it possible to afford a replacement car, while slashing your out-of-pocket expenses.
Explore why GAP Insurance is a good idea.
While stricter rules would surely reduce the number of accidents involving young and older drivers, their positive impact may not outweigh the knock-on implications.
Pros and Cons of Possible Restrictions on Driving
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