20/09/2006

Learner drivers 'should take a year of lessons'

Learner drivers should have a minimum learning period of 12 months before they take their test, the Association of British Insurers said.

The ABI said that a one-year minimum learning period would reduce road casualties by 1,000 each year.

It also called for measures to be introduced limiting the number of passengers that young drivers could carry in their cars, as well as encouraging younger drivers to drive less at night.

Over half of accidents involving young drivers occur at night.

Some insurers already offer lower premiums to young drivers who only drive during the day.

The ABI said that 17-20-year-old males were almost ten times more likely to be killed or seriously injured than more experienced motorists.

The ABI 's proposals have been supported by the RAC Foundation, the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety and road safety groups Brake, RoadSafe and the Make Roads Safe Campaign.

Announcing the proposals, Stephen Haddrill, Director General of the ABI, said: "Every day, four people are killed or seriously injured in crashes involving young drivers. The trend is getting worse not better. We urge the government to adopt these proposals to improve safety on our roads and reduce this tragic loss of life."

Robert Gifford, Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety, said: "Despite the welcome overall progress in reducing road casualties, too many young drivers are still killed and injured on our roads. These numbers are out of proportion to the percentage of young drivers acquiring driving licences. The proposals outlined here offer a way forward for this apparently intractable problem."

(KMcA/EF)

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