Research published today by the AA charitable trust shows that driving is now seen as a bigger threat to teenagers’ safety than gun and knife crime. When asked ‘What do you think is the greatest risk to the safety of teenagers?’ 17% of people answered with driving compared to just 11% ten years ago. Whilst the number of people who saw gun and knife crime as the biggest threat fell from 25% ten years ago to just 16% today.
Brake, the road safety charity, has long campaigned to tackle the issue of young drivers’ safety and is calling on the Government to implement a Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) system to end the tragedy of young driver death on our roads. Brake recommends that such a system should include a 12-month learner period, an initial test, and then a probationary period when drivers can drive independently but with restrictions – such as a late-night driving curfew.
Commenting, Joshua Harris, director of campaigns for Brake, said:
“With the perception of the dangers facing young drivers finally catching up to the reality, it is clear that the Government must take decisive action in order to protect young lives. 25 young drivers are killed or seriously injured on our roads every week and yet there is a proven solution which can prevent this, Graduated Driver Licencing. Graduated Driver Licensing is proven to work and has public and parliamentary backing. We urge the Government to introduce this safer licensing system as a matter of priority; for far too long, young lives have been ruined and lost on our roads.”
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