GEM is proud to be headline sponsor for the 2025 Young Driver Focus event

Head of road safety James Luckhurst explains why GEM supports more comprehensive protection for young drivers

· Government inaction means young people will continue to be at higher risk of losing their lives in preventable collisions

· Research shows crash reductions of between 20 and 40% among young drivers in jurisdictions where a system of young driver protection is in place

· A good GDL system will support young drivers rather than punish them

Members of the GEM Motoring Assist team will be returning to the RAC Club in London for this year’s Young Driver Focus. We’re proud of our association as the event’s headline sponsor, and we hope this year will bring a new opportunity to persuade the UK government to look at a more comprehensive scheme of protection for young drivers.

Safety and freedom need not be opposites. Yes, we understand government fears that perceived restrictions on young drivers will be unpopular, but we urge policymakers to look at an overwhelming body of evidence from around the world, which shows that what have become known as ‘graduated driver licensing’ (GDL) schemes saves lives without compromising mobility.

Graduated Driving Licensing (GDL) is a step-by-step system that gradually introduces young, inexperienced drivers to full driving privileges, with targeted measures to reduce risk. GDL systems vary worldwide, but many require new drivers to limit same-age passengers or avoid late-night driving during their first six months. These measures help young drivers build experience in safer conditions before earning full driving privileges.

Research shows crash reductions of between 20 and 40% among young drivers in jurisdictions where a system of young driver protection is in place. We are concerned that government inaction means young people will continue to lose their lives in a largely preventable and long-term public health crisis.

Young drivers aged 17 to 24 account for 20% of road deaths, despite representing just 7% of licence holders. A combination of inexperience, risk-taking and overconfidence are usually present, factors directly addressed by GDL as young people move from learner status to become independent drivers.

A good GDL system will support young drivers rather than punish them. Recent data from Canada, for example, shows reductions in young driver deaths of more than 80%. Moreover, a review by TRL in 2021 review found no significant adverse impacts on education, employment or social access.

We do driver training well in the UK, and we applaud the brilliant and innovative work done by driving instructors and those who complement the basic young driver learning journey. The Honest Truth is an excellent example of this, and GEM’s Road Safety Charity is supporting an initiative to develop coaching skills for driving instructors. However, where we fall down is in the support provided to young people after the driving test. That’s why we support calls for a system that:

· extends the learning period to ensure exposure to all sorts of road conditions

· reduces distractions shown to increase crash risks

· addresses reduced hazard perception in darkness, a factor in 40% of young driver fatalities.

Experts point out that the part of the brain responsible for risk assessment is generally not fully developed until someone reaches their mid-20s. That’s why, by keeping newly-qualified drivers away from particularly high-risk situations, it’s possible to let their skills develop, whilst reducing the risk of negative consequences.

At the Young Driver Focus event, we will be hearing details of the latest research into young driver safety and risk consequences. Meanwhile we remind the UK government that specific interventions to protect new drivers are in action elsewhere in the world, and are saving lives.

Road trauma remains the leading cause of death for under-25s around the world. Doing nothing will ensure it stays that way, so in our opinion it is not an option. The system under which we currently operate is flawed. So let’s be bold. The opportunity is there to implement reform that respects liberty and mobility, whilst putting in place the protection that will help keep more young people alive.

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