ROAD safety campaigners have welcomed the imminent start of a Government review of the learner driver system - despite a three month delay.
The consultation into the way teenagers are taught to drive will look at raising the test age to 18 in a bid to reduce the number of young deaths on the road.
Novice drivers could also have to carry out a set number of hours behind the wheel before gaining their licence under the proposals being considered by the Department for Transport.
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The plans are similar to the key aims of the Lancashire Telegraph's Wasted Lives campaign.
The campaign calls for a number of legislative and educational reforms to end carnage caused by young and inexperienced drivers.
The 12-week Government consul-tation had been set to start at the beginning of the year but has been moved back to the end of this month in order to carry out a more thorough review.
A Department of Transport spokesperson said: "A lot of work needs to be done before the consultation starts and it is important we get it right before it goes out to all interested parties."
Linda Sanderson, of the Lancashire Partnership for Road Safety (LPRS), said: "I am disappointed the consultation hasn't started but we want them to get it right. In the mean time we will be looking at anything we can do to instigate any changes that will save the lives of young drivers."
The LPRS has created the Missing Matthew DVD in connection with our Wasted Lives campaign. The film shows how the Hannon family from Blackburn have dealt with the death of their son Matthew, who was killed while racing his friend along Livesey Branch Road in 2006.
Mrs Sanderson added: "The passion behind it has created a great deal of interest and it means people have given tremendous support to the Missing Matthew and the Wasted Lives campaigns. We have to use that momentum. The comm-itment for change is still there."
Chief Supt Dave Mallaby, of Lancashire Police, also welcomed the up-coming consultation. He said: "The delay isn't excessive providing the consultation comes out to the revised schedule. It is more important to get it right than rush it out because you only get one chance, and the safety of young drivers is very important."
Hyndburn MP Greg Pope has pledged to meet with roads minister Jim Fitzpatrick to discuss the issues raised by the Wasted Lives campaign.
He said: "It is important that the Government spends time listening to people, like the Lancashire Telegraph, who have concerns about the safety of young drivers.
"I have constituents who want to make representations. If there was a longer delay with the consultation then it would be a concern.
"It is important to get the ball rolling now and move forward. Every year young people die needlessly on our roads."
The public, road safety groups and motoring organisations and camp-aigners can have their say through-out the 12-week consultation.
When all responses are received they will be analysed by the Government before any decisions are made on possible law changes.
The review of road safety laws is set to last for a further two years.
Okay so some of these propsals might help, but I don't think they are enough to improve road safety. New Drivers have to do more than ever before now but there are still drivers on the road who've had no formal training or testing because all they had to do was write and apply for a licence to get one.
And it doesn't matter how long a pupil has had tuition behind the wheel if the Instructor isn't up to scratch. My Instructor is due to have a review by the DSA in the next few weeks - his first in 5 or 6 years! While he is a good instructor and I have no doubt he'll pass the inspection its far too long a gap and by all accounts can be easily 'cheated' on
Okay so some of these propsals might help, but I don't think they are enough to improve road safety. New Drivers have to do more than ever before now but there are still drivers on the road who've had no formal training or testing because all they had to do was write and apply for a licence to get one.
And it doesn't matter how long a pupil has had tuition behind the wheel if the Instructor isn't up to scratch. My Instructor is due to have a review by the DSA in the next few weeks - his first in 5 or 6 years! While he is a good instructor and I have no doubt he'll pass the inspection its far too long a gap and by all accounts can be easily 'cheated' on
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