THE RAC Foundation is the latest organisation to back the tougher driver training system called for by the Lancashire Telegraph’s ‘Wasted Lives’ campaign.

It wants a three-stage graduated system of licences over four years to help reduce road deaths caused by young, newly-qualified motorists.

The RAC Foundation report, out yesterday, suggests that hundreds of lives a year could be saved if such a system was adopted.

The organisation said the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand had seen a significant reduction in the number of young people killed in accidents since introducing the system.

The findings echo the Telegraph’s campaign, launched after 22-year-old Matthew Hannon’s death in 2006 when he crashed his car racing through Blackburn.

‘Wasted Lives’ called for measures including a graduated licence for new drivers; restrictions on them driving at night, on motorways, over 50mph, and carrying passengers; a ban on young motorists driving powerful cars; and immediate disqualification of under 25s caught with ANY drugs or alcohol in their system or more than 10mph over the speed limit.

Matthew’s father, Terry Hannon said: “This is another respected motoring organisation calling for action on the lines of the ‘Wasted Lives’ campaign.

“How much more evidence is needed before the government acts?”

Pendle Tory MP Andrew Stephenson said: “Yet again, we have a major group of experts calling on the government to adopt the proposals of the ‘Wasted Lives’ campaign. I think it is time something was done by ministers.”

Prof Stephen Glaister, director of the RAC Foundation said: "The evidence suggests that a full package of measures could reduce fatalities by anything up to 60%.”

His organisation’s report said that, in the UK, one in five novice drivers has an accident within six months of passing their test and in 2011 more than 1,500 young drivers were killed or seriously injured, four a day In the past year, both the Association of British Insurers and the Transport Committee of the House of Commons have backed our campaign aims.

The government has been considering a range of proposals for the past 12 months.