Proposals to ban new young drivers from the roads at night have been criticised by one insurance provider.
insurethebox, the telematics-based car insurance, believes proposed driving licence changes that would ban young motorists from driving at night is an ineffective and punitive solution to a very real problem in the fight against the high numbers of young drivers involved in serious accidents.
Under new proposals mentioned in Parliament earlier this month, a ‘Graduated Driving Licence’ could restrict 17-24 year olds from driving after dark for up to two years after they pass their test.
This would essentially impose a curfew that could have a serious impact on young people’s social mobility and ability to earn.
The licence is proposed as a way to reduce the number of young drivers killed on the roads – motorists aged 17-24 are involved in 18% of all crashes on UK roads.
Instead of imposing curfews, insurethebox supports continuous learning with a ‘carrot, rather than stick’ approach; empowering young drivers to manage their driving behaviour by providing information on their driving habits and ways to stay safe through its online portal and engagement with its customers.
“We don’t see a curfew on driving as a workable or fair solution,” explains Sarah Vaughan, Head of Pricing at insurethebox.
“New drivers continue to be a huge challenge when it comes to improving road safety and reducing road deaths.
“It’s welcome news that the Government is recognising that the current one-stop driving test is leaving new drivers woefully underprepared for the variety of road conditions they will face and the responsibility that comes with being behind the wheel but we don’t believe that a night-time curfew is the right way forward.”
