
Young drivers in England could be hit with a wave of new restrictions, which might include a zero alcohol limit, in an aim to reduce the number of road fatalities among 17 to 24-year-olds.
Department for Transport data found that in 2023, 290 casualties occurred in crashes involving drivers from this age group. The figures also state that a further 4,669 individuals were seriously injured.
In response, the Government is now looking to introduce a zero-alcohol limit for younger drivers, following the likes of France, Germany and Ireland, which already have similar rules in place. England’s drink-drive limit, 80mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood, is currently one of Europe’s highest, making it the only country in the continent where the limit is above 50mg/100ml.
Other regulations for young drivers, like a minimum training period before drivers can take a test, are also being considered. Meanwhile, the Government is reviewing additional measures such as hazard perception training, classroom-based education, and telematics (i.e. tracking driver behaviour).
However, graduated driving licenses, an idea that has gained momentum over recent months, have been ruled out. This type of license is already in place in Australia, Canada, and the USA and can restrict things like carrying passengers of the same age group or driving at night.
Speaking on the restrictions, transport minister Lilian Greenwood, said: “While we are not considering graduated driving licences, we absolutely recognise that young people are disproportionately victims of tragic collisions on our roads, and that is why we are exploring options to tackle the root causes of this without unfairly penalising young drivers.
“This Government wants to ensure young people’s access to employment, education and other opportunities, while also keeping them safe on the roads.
“We can never regard road deaths as inevitable, the majority of road crashes are avoidable. That is why the department is developing our road safety strategy. It will be the first in over a decade and we will set out more details in due course.”
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