As the UK driving test celebrates its 80th birthday today, motoring groups call for major reforms to help save lives.
The groups believe that the new government, following the upcoming May 7 general election should seize upon this landmark anniversary, by making big changes to the L-test and licensing laws to help cut the ‘carnage’ of young driver deaths that occur in the UK each year, along with the huge number of serious injuries following accidents on UK roads.
Until new drivers gain sufficient driving experience, it is being suggested that night time curfews, as well as a restriction on the amount of young passengers they may carry at one time be enforced on all new drivers. These changes have been suggested by The RAC Foundation, and the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM).
The RAC have suggested that ministers ‘turn a blind eye to the carnage’ at the amount of young divers that are being killed soon after passing their tests.
The first ever practical driving test was undertaken in 1935, a year after the Road Traffic Act was first passed, paving the way.
Some of the biggest changes came back in 1996 and 2002, with the introduction of the Theory Test and Hazard Perception Test respectively. However it has been suggested that more needs to be done to cut the ‘unacceptable’ death toll of young/new driver.
Ministers last year slammed the brakes on reforming the L-plate test, claiming that a night-time curfew, or raising the testing age to 18, could prevent young employees driving to and from shift work.
Staggering statistics show that one in eight (11.9%) of all road casualties hurt or killed in road collisions involve drivers between the ages of 17-19, despite the fact that this age group makes up just 1.5% of all licensed drivers.