Should licences match ability?

Probationary driving licences can make the roads safer, but other initiatives are also needed

Should newly-qualified drivers be restricting in what and how they can drive while they gain experience? Silvia Razgova/The National
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Few would be surprised to learn that newly qualified drivers tend to be over-represented in road accident statistics. After all, driving is a complex activity and particularly for young drivers. But our licensing system does not take this into account.

As we reported yesterday, Emirates Driving Institute's chief operating officer Robert Hodges is recommending a three-stage probationary licence system for drivers aged between 18 and 24. Licences that include restricting new drivers to moderately powered cars until they had gained sufficient experience are already the practice in Australia, New Zealand and many US states. Introducing these well-documented schemes can help our goal of making our roads as safe as those countries. As we report today, the number of deaths on our roads increased in the first quarter of this year.

As our report noted, the risk is not just one of ability but also one of attitude, which is why some countries also restrict young drivers from having other young people on board. This rule, designed to address the risk of them succumbing to peer pressure to drive recklessly, is better than a blanket ban on driving at night. The latter unfairly penalises young drivers who do shift work such as in the hospitality industry, where they finish late at night after most forms of public transport have stopped running.

As these pages have often noted, there will not be a single solution that makes our roads safer. The answer lies instead on a series of actions that together have a cumulative effect. We ought to also consider changing the insurance system so that the premium is based on the risk of the driver causing an accident rather than the value of the car. Having a high deductible for young drivers, as is the case now, does not do enough.

Similarly, having black points imposed for even relatively moderate speeding offences, with the risk of losing the ability to drive temporarily rather than a solely monetary penalty, would also encourage drivers to slow down. The graduated licences system has a lot of merit, but we need to also look even more broadly at this problem.