Young London-based road users have expressed mixed views in response to the government’s decision to launch consultations on introducing a ‘minimum learning period’ for learner drivers and mandatory eye tests for drivers over 70.
The consultations were announced by the Department for Transport as part of its Road Safety Strategy, published on Wednesday 7 January, with the outcomes expected to affect those living in England and Wales.
A minimum learning period would see aspiring drivers be required to wait either three or six months after passing their theory test to take their practical exam.
James Hurley, a 24-year-old driver from Lewisham, argued that the introduction of a ‘minimum learning period’ would ‘disincentivise’ young people from learning to drive.
He said: “I just think it’s unnecessary, and it drives up the cost for young people, especially.
“Within that time frame they’ll just be spending more money on lessons which they might not need, especially say if they fail their theory – they’ve still got to keep it up and some people aren’t in a position where they can have their parents teach them instead.”
In 2024, 22% of all deaths from collisions involved a younger car driver, according to official figures.
The proposal is intended to contribute to reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured on roads in Great Britain by 65% over the next decade.
However, fellow 24-year-old, Ahmed Imran from Streatham – who is planning to sit his driving exams in the near future – was in agreement that the policy was ‘pointless’.
He said: “I don’t think it’s going to do much, it’s probably the case in most situations that people wait between three months and six months to sit their practical because that’s how long it takes to book slots anyway.
“I think they’d be better off focusing on issues like being able to book slots to take the practical rather than stopping people from trying to take it.”
Other proposals outlined in the strategy include lowering the drink-drive limit in England and Wales, which is currently the highest in Europe, and introducing cognitive tests for older drivers.
As the proportion of older drivers on the road has increased by over 2 million since 2012, concern surrounding the potential dangers that come with a larger number of people driving with declining vision and cognitive function has also grown.
Danny Weller, a young motorcyclist from Camden, was recently in a road accident involving an elderly driver who was put on an intensive driving course following the incident.
He argued that mandatory eye tests as well as cognitive tests are ‘essential’.
He said: “If you can’t see properly, or your reaction times are particularly slow, you are a danger on the road, particularly to motorbike drivers like myself.
“We are smaller, harder to see, and very vulnerable in the case of collisions.”
In response to criticism of the minimum learning period, the Department for Transport said: “We want to keep young people safe on the roads while continuing to support their access to work, education and social opportunities.
“That’s why we’re not introducing blanket restrictions on newly qualified drivers, such as limits on passengers or night‑time driving.
“This approach, combined with the robust two-year probationary period already in place for new drivers, strikes the right balance between safety and opportunity.”
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