AA wants driving restrictions for young people

AA believes a driving ban should be put in place for under-21-year-olds to protect drivers and pedestrians on the road.

On the 21st of October 2024, the AA stated they want to introduce a driving ban for under-21-year-olds and that they shouldn't carry passengers of a similar age or younger. This ban would take place within the UK to protect young drivers and road safety.

The AA (Automobile Association) claims that preventing young drivers under 21 from carrying passengers for their first six months can improve safety on the road.

Credit to ROSPA

According to Gov.uk, ‘young male drivers aged 17-24 are 4 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured compared with all car drivers aged 25 or over.’

This statistic helps support the AA’s desire to implement this driving ban with the introduction of GLD (Graduated Driver’s License).

According to RAC, GLD ‘would put a set of restrictions on new drivers who have recently passed their practical test for an initial period of time.’

These restrictions can include a minimum learning period, a limit on how many passengers, speed limits, mandatory ‘P’ plates, and many more.

Other countries that have GLD are the USA, Canada, New Zealand, and Sweden.

Credit to The Independent 

Speaking to a driving instructor, they said, “It would be tough to police same-age passengers within the first six months until it's too late. How does the AA propose this is proactively policed? Right now, the Government must focus on putting pressure on the DVSA and helping them to reduce the driving test waiting times, which is more than 6 months in most big towns and cities across the UK.”

They continued, “Right now, the Government must focus on putting pressure on the DVSA and helping them to reduce the driving test waiting times, which is more than 6 months in most big towns and cities across the UK. (They should also) make the Part 3 and standards check test for driving instructors harder. Currently, the pass mark of 31 out of 51 is very low. (As well as) make black-box insurance compulsory for drivers aged between 17-25 for the first two years after passing their driving test.”

Also speaking to Youth Justice Office, Divina Sterling, said, “I believe that while the AA’s proposal to impose restrictions on 17 to 24-year-old new drivers aims to reduce accidents and improve road safety, a blanket approach may not be the most effective solution. Based on my experience, I’ve seen that young people respond better to education, targeted interventions, and positive reinforcement rather than punitive measures. I feel that introducing more comprehensive driving education, hazard perception training, or mentorship schemes could be a fairer and more impactful way to address the issue. It’s important to balance public safety with giving young people the opportunity to demonstrate responsibility and independence.”