Ban new under-21 drivers from carrying similar-aged passengers, AA says

New, young drivers should be banned from carrying passengers of a similar age, the AA has said.

The restriction should be in place for six months after new drivers, aged under 21, pass their test, the motoring organisation said.

To aid enforcement, they propose a 'G' - graduate - plate should be displayed on the cars of young drivers.

These measures would be a form of graduated driving licensing (GDL) which is already used in several countries such as the US, Canada, Australia and Sweden.

This comes as a coroner raised concerns about newly qualified drivers carrying passengers following the deaths of four teenagers in North Wales last year.

At least 58 lives would be saved and 934 serious injuries prevented each year if the policy was implemented, the AA claimed.

AA chief executive Jakob Pfaudler said: "Not only is this a tragic waste of life, but it contributes to the burden of high insurance premiums for young drivers.

"Graduated driver licensing has been proven in other countries to significantly reduce road deaths and serious injuries.

"We are calling on the transport secretary to make simple, pragmatic changes to the licensing process so young people are better protected in their first few months of independent driving."

Department for Transport (DfT) figures show 290 people were killed and 4,669 were seriously injured in crashes on Britain's roads last year involving at least one driver aged 17-24.

The previous government said in July 2019 that it was considering introducing a GDL but the assessment was halted a few months later partly because of the impact it would have on young people's employment.

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A DfT spokesperson said: "Whilst we are not considering graduated driving licences, we absolutely recognise that young people are disproportionately victims of tragic incidents on our roads, and we are considering other measures to tackle this problem and protect young drivers."

Gwynedd crash

Hugo Morris, 18, lost control of his silver Ford Fiesta in the village of Garreg, Gwynedd, on 19 November last year, before the vehicle rolled into a ditch.

He had been on a camping trip with friends Wilf Fitchett, 17, Jevon Hirst, 16, and Harvey Owen, 17.

Mr Morris had passed his driving test just over six months previously and an inquest into their deaths was held in Caernarfon this week.

Kate Robertson, senior coroner for northwest Wales, said she would write to the DfT and the DVLA to raise her concerns.

She was worried that deaths would continue to occur where "young, newly-qualified drivers are permitted to carry passengers".

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