'The time to act is now’: Experts call for stronger licensing to save young lives

Whether we call it graduated or progressive licensing, the name isn’t what matters - what matters is that we act.” - Chief Constable Jo Shiner KPM

A powerful coalition of experts, emergency service leaders and bereaved families is calling on the Government to introduce a stronger licensing system to better protect young and novice drivers - and to stop avoidable tragedies that devastate families across the country.

At the 'Safeguarding Young Drivers' webinar, hosted by Police and Crime Commissioners Joy Allen (Durham) and Philip Seccombe (Warwickshire), leading voices from policing, medicine, academia, driver education and bereaved families came together in a united call for a smarter, safer approach to young driver licensing. These key figures expressed their support for Graduated Driving Licensing (GDL) - a step-by-step system in place in countries across the world that helps young, inexperienced drivers build confidence and skills gradually, and safeguards them during their most vulnerable months on the road. Used in countries including Australia, New Zealand, Canada and across the United States, GDL is an umbrella term for a wide range of targeted measures designed to reduce risk while allowing young drivers to build experience gradually and safely.

These measures often include:

• No late-night driving

• Limits on carrying same-age passengers

• A minimum learning period before taking the practical test
  

In Britain, drivers aged 17 to 24 are involved in 24% of all fatal or serious injury collisions and one in five young drivers crashes within the first year of passing their test. 

Chief Constable Jo Shiner KPM, the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) lead for roads policing, told the Project EDWARD event: “I’m supportive of some form of graduated or progressive driving licence. While there may need to be exemptions - such as for travelling to work - I have real confidence in police officers to enforce the law in a legitimate and proportionate way. We see them do this every day.

“Simple but effective measures that limit distraction in the early months of driving give new drivers the chance to focus, build experience and develop confidence - making them safer behind the wheel.

“We’ve seen the evidence from other countries: these measures save lives. Whether we call it graduated or progressive licensing, the name isn’t what matters - what matters is that we act to stop young and novice drivers from dying on UK roads.”

Dr Rob Torok, emergency medicine consultant and air ambulance doctor, said: “Road death is entirely man-made - we design the vehicles, the roads and the laws. That means we can change it.

“GDL is a moral imperative. It offers a real way to change culture, prevent trauma and save lives.”The event also featured speakers from Young Drivers of Canada, who shared powerful evidence of the system’s success in Ontario, where fatal crashes among 16-year-olds fell by 73% in its first year.

Brian Hart, Chief Training Manager, Young Drivers of Canada, said: “You can’t build safe driving habits in a few weeks. Too often, drivers are rushed through basic training and put straight onto fast-moving roads without being taught how to anticipate hazards or deal with real dangers.

“GDL introduces common-sense protections – curfews, zero alcohol tolerance, restrictions on motorway driving - all of which give young drivers the space and structure to build confidence safely. The evidence from Canada speaks for itself: it saves lives.”

Dr Ian Greenwood, whose 12-year-old daughter, Alice, was killed in a crash caused by a young driver, said: “The night my daughter Alice was killed, our lives changed forever. Her body was crushed in the crash. My wife and other daughter were in separate intensive care units.

“What’s hardest to accept is that it was avoidable. The risk factors were well known - and still are. The government has had access to solutions like Graduated Driving Licensing for decades. But instead of acting, they’ve chosen to ignore the evidence. That’s why I campaign. Not just for Alice, but to stop other families from suffering the same avoidable trauma.” Philip Seccombe, Police and Crime Commissioner for Warwickshire said: "Let’s move away from the language of restriction and focus on the public benefit - fewer NHS admissions, more lives saved. "If not stronger licensing, then what? We need to hear real alternatives from Government." Elizabeth Box, Research Director, at the RAC Foundation, said: “When it comes to Graduated Driving Licensing (GDL), the evidence is clear - it plays a vital role in protecting young drivers, their passengers and the wider public.

“GDL isn’t a silver bullet, but it strengthens the whole safe system by supporting education, enforcement and the role of parents and guardians. Where GDL laws are weak, young people and their families face greater risk.“GDL provides an opportunity for a safer start and the Government has a responsibility to act.” Joy Allen, Police and Crime Commissioner for Durham, said: "Young drivers are priceless and we have a duty to ensure that they are as skilled and prepared as they can be. This is about giving them the safer start they deserve. “We also need to engage the parents and grandparents who are often the ones paying for insurance and driving lessons - because ultimately, they just want their children to be safe.”

Dr Shaun Helman, Chief Scientist at TRL, said: “I support the introduction of Graduated Driving Licensing because it’s the only evidence-based intervention we know works 0 and it works everywhere it’s been implemented. It’s by far the best way to design a licensing system that reflects how people actually learn to drive.

“I’ve been advocating for GDL for more than 17 years because the evidence is crystal clear: it reduces crashes, casualties and fatalities involving young drivers. These crashes don’t just affect young people - they impact all road users, and place a significant and avoidable burden on the NHS.” Dr Sarah Jones, Consultant in Environmental Public Health at Public Health Wales, said: “I’ve been advocating for the introduction of Graduated Driving Licensing for over 17 years because the evidence is undeniable - GDL reduces crashes, injuries and fatalities involving young drivers.

“These crashes don’t just affect the young drivers themselves - they impact passengers, other road users and the NHS.”

Chief Fire Officer Dan Quin, Road Rescue Lead for the National Fire Chiefs’ Council, said: “Fire and rescue services attend thousands of road traffic collisions every year and work hard to promote road safety in their communities. Young drivers remain among the most vulnerable road users - partly because of inexperience and a greater susceptibility to peer pressure.

“The data is clear: risk increases significantly when young drivers carry passengers, especially at night. We need action to address these risks, including legislation similar to the UK’s tiered licensing system for new motorcyclists.

“Too many young people are dying on our roads because they lack experience, face distraction or are influenced by peer pressure - or a combination of all three. Tackling this requires bold, evidence-led action. The time to act is now.” Professor Lyndel Bates, an international expert in young driver behaviour, from Griffith University, Australia, said: “I’ve been researching young drivers for more than 20 years, and the evidence is clear: they are consistently overrepresented in crash statistics.

“Graduated Driving Licensing reduces these crashes - by between 20 and 40%, depending on what measures are included. Whether it’s minimum supervised driving hours, peer passenger limits or night-time driving restrictions, these steps work. An evidence-based GDL system is not just good policy - it’s a proven countermeasure that saves lives.” Edmund King, President of the AA, said: “At the AA and the AA Charitable Trust, we advocate for a system of Graduated Driving Licensing that can save lives - for example, by limiting the number of peer-age passengers during the first six months of driving."

Ruth Purdie OBE, Chief Executive of the Road Safety Trust and a former assistant chief constable, said: “I support increased training and testing, restrictions on passengers and night-time driving, and stronger public education to make it clear: this is about saving young lives - both drivers and their passengers.”

Rebecca Morris, a leading voice in road safety communications, said: “The term ‘Graduated Driving Licensing’ is too often misunderstood. It’s not a fixed package – it’s a flexible framework of proven measures that can be tailored to meet the UK’s needs.

“We must stop framing this as a debate about restriction. GDL is about safeguarding young lives, building skills and preventing tragedy. In any other area of life, extra training is seen as a positive – why should driving be any different?

“The Government must start listening to the experts here and the families affected. The evidence is there - and the time to act is now.” Public support for stronger licensing measures is also growing. A petition calling for the introduction of Graduated Driving Licensing (GDL) has now exceeded 108,000 signatures. It was launched by Crystal Owen, whose 17-year-old son, Harvey, was killed alongside three friends - all aged 18 or under - in a car crash in November 2023. The petition calls for a minimum six-month learning period before a practical driving test can be taken, ensuring young drivers gain experience across a range of roads and weather conditions. WATCH: The full 'Safeguarding Young Drivers' webinar here and the short expert support videos here. Visit our Partners' Page to see a list of just some of the organisations who support the campaign for a stronger licensing system to reduce young drivers crashes in Britain.