AT RISK: Road death figures for drivers under 25 are twice as high as any other age group.
THE government has announced a major overhaul of the learner driver system in a bid to reduce road casualties - but has pulled back from introducing graduated licenses.
It was widely expected that Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly would increase the driving age to 18 and set requirements over key issues such as the number of pre-test hours drivers had to spend behind the wheel.
But the apparent policy change has prompted calls for those supporting the Lancashire Telegraph's Wasted Lives campaign to continue fighting for tougher measures to protect young drivers.
Gordon Prentice, MP for Pendle said: "I spoke to Ruth Kelly the night before her announcement and told her that a lot of people would be disappointed with the government's approach - including myself.
"It runs counter to what the transport select committee were arguing for last year. I very much agree with the committee's and the Telegraph's line that there should be restrictions on newly qualified drivers.
"These dreadful car crashes that we read about are often cars packed full with young people.
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"A graduated approach has great merit. Mrs Kelly hinted to me that in some parts of the country the police would see this as a burden - but I think that in Lancashire the police would be in favour of it."
His comments reflect those made by former chief of Lancashire Police's eastern division, Dave Mallaby, who said that introducing a graduated licence was 'do-able.'
The Lancashire Telegraph's Wasted Lives campaign was launched as a result of the bravery of road safety champions Terry and Ann Hannon, whose 22-year-old son was killed while racing a friend along Livesey Branch Road, Blackburn in 2006.
Like the transport select committee, the Wasted Lives campaign calls for the introduction of a graduated licence scheme and a set number of hours behind the wheel before taking a test. It has also demanded passenger restrictions and night time curfews for people under the age of 25 - both of which are proven aggravating factors in young driver crashes.
Mr Hannon said: "I was watching a debate on the subject before the announcement and they were talking about restrictions and graduated licences. I am gob smacked that this has not been taken on board and included in the proposals.
"The biggest thing for me is that you should not be able to drive a high powered car until you have the experience to do so.
"I will be sitting down and having a good look at the proposals and then penning my piece - and I would urge others to do the same.
"The other night I was walking down Livesey Branch Road, near to where Matthew died, and there were two lads in pocket rocket cars doing hand brake turns in the road and throwing things out of their windows. It was an accident waiting to happen. Something needs to be done - this is a start but it can go further."
The Transport Secretary has opened a 12-week consultation into the proposals, which have been drawn up in a bid to ensure that learners are taught the skills they need to be safe when they start driving alone.
The proposals are -
A school-based driver safety qualification for those under 17
A set syllabus for driving instructors to work through with candidates, including driving at night and in poor weather conditions
Improved regulation of diving instructors, including a star rating system
A broader practical test that will ensure candidates are ready to drive unsupervised, focussing more on real' driving rather than ability to carry out manouvres such as three-point turns.
A new marking system to provide candidates with better feedback on their test
An updated theory test to strengthen a candidates knowledge of safe driving
A more advanced hazard perception test
Increased opportunities to improve skills after passing test
The Government plans to publish a separate consultation in the next few months looking at how it proposes to deal with the minority who flout the rules, who it says carry a large share of the responsibility for the high numbers of young people involved in accidents.
Increasing the test age to 18 and graduated licence schemes have saved thousands of lives in other countries. Both were suggested to the government by the advisory Transport Committee, headed by the late MP Gwyneth Dunwoody last year.
Announcing the outline proposals Ms Kelly said: "Too many new drivers are involved in road accidents and are not properly prepared for driving alone.
"It is time for a new approach to learning to drive. We must make sure that novice drivers are safe drivers when they have passed their test. We must also create an expectation of lifelong learning, so that people continue advance learning after their test.
"Those who undertake extra training will not only be safer drivers but will have the added incentive that they could see a financial reward in terms of lower insurance premiums."
One of the first changes that could come into place could be a qualification in road safety for school children. It will be trialled in Scottish schools this autumn.
The proposed changes could also see driving instructors being rated on an official website, with scores for the number of successful pupils they have had.
Although the government's proposed changes fail to mirror many of those called for by the Lancashire Telegraph, Ms Kelly - who recently met with the Hannons - still praised the campaign.
She said: "This newspaper has done much to highlight the devastation caused by road accidents through the powerful 'Wasted Lives campaign'. I welcome the campaign's focus on raising awareness amongst young people of the dangers of irresponsible driving, both to themselves and others."
New Chief Superintendent of Eastern Division, Andy Rhodes, said that attitudes of young drivers needed to be changed in order for revised tests to be effective. He added: "I fully support the Lancashire Telegraph's Wasted Lives campaign and welcome any measure to help reduce death and serious injury on our roads. Driver education is crucial to teach young drivers about the consequences of driving dangerously."
Hyndburn and Haslingden MP Greg Pope has called for the proposals to be debated in Parliament. He said: "I welcome this consultation and think that it is a step in the right direction. I know that myself, my fellow East Lancashire MPs and the Lancashire Telegraph are determined to bring down the terrible death toll on the county's roads.
"I would like to see more detailed proposals but this does give us the opportunity to debate them in parliament."
The Department for Transport will now contact a number of interested parties to seek their views on the proposals. Members of the public can also have their say on the consultation by visiting the department's website and filling in an on-line response form. All correspondence must be received by September 8.
Posted by: Educator, Accrington & District on 10:24am Thu 8 May 08
For years, the Government, the Dept of Transport and the Driving Standards Agency have presided over a system whereby an average of 9 deaths and 120 serious injuries have occurred everyday on our roads. None of these public bodies are fit for purpose. The only people who have knowledge and the means to really address road safety issues are in the police; but they are afraid of speaking the truth because of political influence.
For instance, where does the Chief Constable go to, every year, with his budget? Answer: The Council = the Government. If the Chief Constable doesn't do as politicians tell him, he is liable to financial pressure. He will be labelled a maverick. There is nothing for independent thinkers in this country.
Another example of financial pressure is that there's tight restraint on where the money is spent - hence no 'proper' traffic police patrolling our roads.
A summary of all this reads, "Get politicians out of road safety issues. They don't know what they are doing. Shame on the lot of them because they are unwilling to learn."
For years, the Government, the Dept of Transport and the Driving Standards Agency have presided over a system whereby an average of 9 deaths and 120 serious injuries have occurred everyday on our roads. None of these public bodies are fit for purpose. The only people who have knowledge and the means to really address road safety issues are in the police; but they are afraid of speaking the truth because of political influence.
For instance, where does the Chief Constable go to, every year, with his budget? Answer: The Council = the Government. If the Chief Constable doesn't do as politicians tell him, he is liable to financial pressure. He will be labelled a maverick. There is nothing for independent thinkers in this country.
Another example of financial pressure is that there's tight restraint on where the money is spent - hence no 'proper' traffic police patrolling our roads.
A summary of all this reads, "Get politicians out of road safety issues. They don't know what they are doing. Shame on the lot of them because they are unwilling to learn."
Does the person who wrote this article realise that there is no such thing as a "three point turn" in the current Driving Test. There's no such thing as an "emergency stop" either.
The suggestion of a driving syllabus is interesting. My driving instruction with a well known national driving school includes the elements suggested anyway.
In my opinion a lot of the troubles these measures are supposed to address are much more a symptom of bad attitude and disregard for safetly than of youth and inexperience.
In all seriousness does Mr Hannon think that creating a curfew and passanger limitations will have stopped the youths he observed on Livsey Branch Road?
Does the person who wrote this article realise that there is no such thing as a "three point turn" in the current Driving Test. There's no such thing as an "emergency stop" either.
The suggestion of a driving syllabus is interesting. My driving instruction with a well known national driving school includes the elements suggested anyway.
In my opinion a lot of the troubles these measures are supposed to address are much more a symptom of bad attitude and disregard for safetly than of youth and inexperience.
In all seriousness does Mr Hannon think that creating a curfew and passanger limitations will have stopped the youths he observed on Livsey Branch Road?
Does StopWastedLives realise that 'GP' is actually right? The 3 point turn as was, is now a 'turn in the road using forward and reverse gears'. It doesn't matter how many 'points' it takes to perform that particular manouevre. As for the emergency stop, that has been abandoned on health and safety grounds. Apparently some candidates complained of whiplash type injuries so they took it out of the test.
Gene Genie!
Does StopWastedLives realise that 'GP' is actually right? The 3 point turn as was, is now a 'turn in the road using forward and reverse gears'. It doesn't matter how many 'points' it takes to perform that particular manouevre. As for the emergency stop, that has been abandoned on health and safety grounds. Apparently some candidates complained of whiplash type injuries so they took it out of the test.
Educator, good post, but, just one minor point. There are 'proper'traffic police patrolling our roads. Just not enough of them to provide a tangible impact on the increasing number of bad, ignorant, selfish, naive or just downright inept drivers that blight our roads.
Gene Genie!
Educator, good post, but, just one minor point. There are 'proper'traffic police patrolling our roads. Just not enough of them to provide a tangible impact on the increasing number of bad, ignorant, selfish, naive or just downright inept drivers that blight our roads.
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