Graduated driving licences critical to road safety
GEM Motoring Assist has renewed its call for the introduction of graduated driving licences in the UK.
It has joined with other road safety groups to urge the government to introduce this measure to improve road safety for younger drivers.
It says the evidence is clear that graduated driving licences save lives and believes the UK is behind other countries when it comes to protecting younger drivers on the road.
In the UK, drivers aged 17 to 24 account for around 20% of road deaths despite making up just seven per cent of licence holders, with inexperience, distraction and overconfidence remaining key risk factors.
GEM has stressed that a well-designed system supports rather than penalises young people by extending structured learning, reducing known high-risk conditions and allowing young drivers to build skills progressively and safely.
Overwhelming evidence
GEM head of road safety James Luckhurst said: “We are long past the point of asking whether we should act. The evidence is overwhelming, and the consequences of delay are measured in lives lost and families devastated.
“We do many things well in the UK, particularly in driver training, but the current system offers too little structured support once someone passes the test. That’s where the real risk begins.
“The choice is simple: continue with a system we know is failing too many young people or take proven steps that will save lives. Doing nothing is not a neutral position – it is a decision with consequences.”
