For young drivers, opportunity awaits with GDL reforms
By Nicholas Lyes, Policy and Standards Director, IAM RoadSmart, June 2025
I can always remember a watershed moment when I first took notice of motoring policy which was when I was queuing for fuel at a petrol station at the height of the fuel protests in 2000.
The frustration and angst of suddenly not being able to carry on driving, albeit
temporarily, made me realise the importance of having a car and the freedom it brings for young people, which coincidentally I was at this point.
However, the question facing every road safety expert is at what price are we prepared to accept any trade-off between mobility and safety.
My answer is always that they are one of the same things. Mobility should come with responsibility and safety and all three need to be working in unison.
Upskilling, not restricting
Too often the narrative around Graduated Driving Licensing (GDL) sinks to words such as ‘restrictions’ and ‘bans’ whereas we should focus on ‘upskilling’, ‘opportunities’ and ‘responsibility’ to ensure we have the best young drivers in the world who will have mobility and greater prospects to employers
who see them as responsible and engaged.
The safety benefits from a new approach to learner driver education have been documented quite widely, but it is important to remember why we are discussing this.
In 2023, almost a quarter (23%) of all fatalities on the road involved a young car driver, while younger drivers themselves accounted for almost one-in-five (18%) of all car driver fatalities.
This isn’t just a problem, it’s a national tragedy. It would not be accepted on the trains, the planes nor anywhere else. Yet on our roads it’s become the norm.
Turning tragedy into opportunity
There are lots of us that want change. At IAM RoadSmart, we support a form of Graduated Driver Licensing, while the Forget-Me-Not Families Uniting continue to powerfully articulate the human cost of young driver deaths.
Last year, a coalition of the willing – yes, I know this has become a trendy again political slogan – came together to discuss joint initiatives to campaign for graduated licencing.
Our goal is simple: To keep the pressure on decision-makers about the benefits of GDL and to save lives.
We also want to communicate how this presents an opportunity for new drivers. Imagine benefitting from reduced premiums and cheaper costs. Imagine being able to demonstrate your increased skills to your parents when they worry.
Imagine being the next generation of safer workers using a vehicle for their job and the advantage this could give you.
Shifting the odds
Currently, you have a one-in-five chance of being in a collision in your first year of being a fully licenced driver.
For every five new drivers reading this that passed your practical test in the last 12 months, one of you will be in a collision.
Imagine being the first generation to shift the odds in your favour.
Whatever a new system looks like, we need to ensure this is seen not as a threat to young people, but an opportunity for freedom, mobility, and most crucially safety.
Nicholas and members of the IAM RoadSmart team are members of the Vision Zero Community, powered by Co-Pilot. Find out more about becoming a member here.
