Newly qualified u-25 drivers could be banned from carrying passengers

Under the "graduated driving licence" plan, new drivers under 25 may be prohibited from carrying minor passengers.

The Road Traffic (New Drivers) Act, which ensures a probationary period for new drivers which includes suspending their licence if they gain six penalty points within two years of passing, could be used to implement the programme.

It could mean changing the current structure of driving licences away from "provisional" and "full," and towards graded driving licencing, where regulations during a learning period allow drivers to develop their skills and gain more confidence before eventually earning independence.

The initiative focuses particularly on people under 25. According to the Department of Transport’s 2017 statistics, people aged 17 to 24 accounted for more vehicle deaths than any other age group.

The plans, which would require new drivers to wait six months to a year before being able to transport passengers, were previously put on hold because of worries that they would negatively affect young workers, but they are now receiving attention.

The new restrictions will be discussed next month and would be an amendment to the Road Traffic (New Drivers) Act.

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