Such a wasted opportunity (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Such a wasted opportunity

5:38pm Friday 10th July 2009

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THROUGH our Wasted Lives campaign, this newspaper fought vigorously for a graduated licence scheme to be introduced to reduce the appalling toll of lives lost and ruined because of crashes involving young drivers.

We argued that such a compulsory scheme, along with other legal restrictions on newly qualified drivers covering matters like car engine size, speed and the carrying of young passengers, was the only effective way to tackle an extremely serious situation.

We said these rules needed to come in alongside improved education in schools and other voluntary schemes for increasing safety.

All the main planks of our proposed package were also supported by the Commons Transport Select Committee.

But the government failed to grasp the nettle and turned its back on any compulsion, we believe, for fear of losing votes.

The renewed calls today from the Brake charity, which like many other expert bodies in Britain and abroad knows that graduated licences WILL work, are welcome.

So too is their survey showing overwhelming support for such compulsory measures from motorists.

But sadly it seems there is very little chance at this late stage of the government coming to its senses.

Our view of their stance has already been summed up in one word – gutless.

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