UK to get tougher driving tests

UK driving tests are expected to be toughened.

UK driving tests are expected to be toughened.

Published Mar 26, 2013

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A sweeping overhaul of driving test rules was announced by the British government on Monday in an attempt to reduce the number of young drivers killed or seriously injured on UK roads.

Among the moves being considered by transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin for cutting the death toll is introducing a “minimum learning period” - possibly six or 12 months - before candidates are allowed to take their driving test.

One option is to allow young people to apply for a provisional licence when they are 16-and-a-half years old, but to require them to wait until they are 17 or 17-and-a-half before they can take their test.

TOUGHER TEST

Learners may also have to demonstrate they have experience of driving on freeways, as well as when it is dark and in rainy conditions. The tests themselves are expected to be toughened, possibly by doubling from 10 to 20 minutes the amount of time that learners are required to drive “unsupervised” - without instruction from their examiner.

The existing probationary period during which a new driver's licence is revoked if they receive six or more penalty points could be increased from two to three years. New drivers could also face temporary restrictions - being banned from carrying passengers or from night-time driving or facing lower blood-alcohol limits.

ALARMING CASUALTY RATE

The proposals, which will be spelt out in greater detail in a Green Paper within the next few months, were unveiled at a summit hosted by ministers on Monday for the motor insurance industry.

Announcing the moves, McLoughlin spoke of his alarm over the death rate among young drivers, who are disproportionately more likely to be in accidents than older motorists. He said a fifth of the people killed or seriously injured on the roads in 2011 were involved in a collision where at least one driver was aged under 25.

“Improving the safety of our young drivers is therefore a real priority and will not only reduce casualties but should also mean a reduction in the sky-high insurance premiums they pay,” he said. - The Independent

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