New drivers could be banned from driving at night

[davieG]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-49026171

 

New drivers could be banned from travelling at night as part of plans to improve road safety.

Plans for a graduated licence system to restrict novice drivers in England, Scotland and Wales were announced by the Department for Transport (DfT).

The move comes as figures suggest one in five drivers are involved in a crash within a year of passing their test.

But the AA warned "excessive" safety measures could become an "unnecessary burden" for motorists.

As well as not driving at night, the DfT said the system could feature restrictions such as a minimum learning period and not driving with passengers under a certain age.

The DfT did not say how long the measures would be in place after someone had passed their driving test.

Road safety minister Michael Ellis said getting a driving licence could be both "exciting" and "daunting" for young people.

He said graduated driver licensing could "help new drivers to stay safe and reduce the number of people killed or injured on our roads".

Any changes to licensing would be consulted on before being introduced
The DfT is giving serious consideration to how the system could work as part of its Road Safety Action Plan, which will be published on Friday.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said ministers supported introducing a graduated licensing scheme, but representations to consider devolving power to Holyrood to enable this have been rejected.

Plans in Northern Ireland to launch a graduate licensing pilot scheme have been put on hold due to the absence of government.

Graduated licensing schemes already operate in several parts of the world, including New York and California in the US, Ontario and British Columbia in Canada, New South Wales and Victoria in Australia, and across Sweden.

They have previously been rejected in Britain over concerns they would restrict young people from accessing education and employment.

Under current rules, new drivers risk having their licences revoked if they accumulate six penalty points within the first two years of passing the test.

But there are no restrictions on when people can drive or the age of their passengers.

Joshua Harris, director of campaigns for road safety charity Brake, said those particularly at risk were "overconfident" newly-qualified young male drivers.

Mr Harris said a more "robust" licensing process could help to keep these drivers safe.

While the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), also welcomed the trial, the AA warned any such scheme should be "properly researched and piloted" to avoid creating an "unnecessary burden".

AA president Edmund King added: "For many people, excessive post-test restrictions could negate the purpose of them having a driving licence in the first place - such as driving to work on early or late shifts when public transport is not convenient."

[yorkie1999]

Should be old drivers (the ones that can't fvckin see) should be banned from driving at night.

[Facecloth]

I've always found the best way for people to improve at something is to deny them the opportunity to do it ?

[ajthefox]

Seems a stupid idea to me.

 

If new drivers are crashing too often then maybe the way they are taught/tested needs to be amended.

 

Maybe there should be some minimum requirements before you can take a test - X hours worth of night driving perhaps. I'd add motorway hours to it as well.

[Innovindil]

Well that seems daft. They'll still be dangerous driving at night when they finally get old enough to do it, surely? If anything, being so unused to driving at night would probably make it worse. There are hazards at night time, animals and cars with high beams on that aren't likely to happen during the day. 

[urban.spaceman]

Completely absurd and utterly unenforceable. 

 

Also, if they’re dangerous drivers at night, why have you passed them?

[Kopfkino]

Yeah let's punish those for whom public transport is non-existent and young workers working unsocial hours. 

 

Typical policy idea of someone sat in London just looking at figures. 

[RoboFox]

Bureaucrats in this country really are thick, aren't they?

[ozleicester]

We need to stop new drivers from driving

[lifted*fox]

****ing pathetic idea.

[Facecloth]

37 minutes ago, ajthefox said:

Seems a stupid idea to me.

 

If new drivers are crashing too often then maybe the way they are taught/tested needs to be amended.

 

Maybe there should be some minimum requirements before you can take a test - X hours worth of night driving perhaps. I'd add motorway hours to it as well.

Exactly. Next it'll be stopping new drivers from driving in the rain, or snow, because they have more accidents in adverse weather conditions. If it really is an issue, we should be teaching better not banning people from certain activities.

[Strokes]

Completely illogical, halfwits in powerful positions as usual.

Just police the roads better you twats! And stop companies disciplining people for being late, so we are not all rushing around like ****ing headless chickens.

[Dan LCFC]

What an absolutely crap idea. Who exactly does this benefit?

[Dan LCFC]

1 hour ago, ajthefox said:

Seems a stupid idea to me.

 

If new drivers are crashing too often then maybe the way they are taught/tested needs to be amended.

 

Maybe there should be some minimum requirements before you can take a test - X hours worth of night driving perhaps. I'd add motorway hours to it as well.

I had a few lessons in the dark specifically for this reason and bizarrely found I actually prefer it.

[CollinsLCFC]

What an idiotic idea?

 

How about new drivers who need to commute? In Winter months when it gets dark around 4pm, when majority of people are finishing work? Or early in the mornings? Does night time simply mean when it goes dark? People who work night shifts? Totally impracticle.

 

 

 

 

 

[lifted*fox]

9 minutes ago, Strokes said:

Completely illogical, halfwits in powerful positions as usual.

Just police the roads better you twats! And stop companies disciplining people for being late, so we are not all rushing around like ****ing headless chickens.

 

in an ideal world:

 

1. increase / improve public transport to the point where it is plentiful, efficient and affordable - remove more cars from the road

2. teach companies that many, many positions can be fulfilled from a home office - driving to a physical workplace 5 days a week isn't necessary in a lot of roles.

 

both of the above have positive effects on the environment / climate change, road conditions / accidents and also give people the opportunity to get a better work/life balance by cutting out unnecessary commuting.  

[Strokes]

7 minutes ago, lifted*fox said:

 

in an ideal world:

 

1. increase / improve public transport to the point where it is plentiful, efficient and affordable - remove more cars from the road

2. teach companies that many, many positions can be fulfilled from a home office - driving to a physical workplace 5 days a week isn't necessary in a lot of roles.

 

both of the above have positive effects on the environment / climate change, road conditions / accidents and also give people the opportunity to get a better work/life balance by cutting out unnecessary commuting.  

This is a country where you can fly to Amsterdam for half the price of taking the train to London. We are stupid.

[lifted*fox]

1 minute ago, Strokes said:

We are stupid.

 

literally should be our country tagline at the moment.

 

England. We are stupid.

[Babylon]

1 hour ago, Facecloth said:

I've always found the best way for people to improve at something is to deny them the opportunity to do it ?

 

1 hour ago, urban.spaceman said:

Completely absurd and utterly unenforceable. 

 

Also, if they’re dangerous drivers at night, why have you passed them?

Think it's more to do with trying to stop people being out with mates on quiet roads at all hours doing stupid things they wouldn't be doing at 3pm on busy roads.

 

I think they looked at banning them driving with people under a certain age at one point didn't they, for similar reasons.

[Voll Blau]

1 hour ago, Babylon said:

 

Think it's more to do with trying to stop people being out with mates on quiet roads at all hours doing stupid things they wouldn't be doing at 3pm on busy roads.

 

I think they looked at banning them driving with people under a certain age at one point didn't they, for similar reasons.

The problem is you then get a whole generation being lumped in with a minority of boy racer nobheads (who, to be fair, shouldn't be anywhere near the roads). Just test drivers more rigorously and police the roads more rigorously. The vast majority don't deserve to suffer because of a few souped-up wankstains trying to impress 14-year-old girls so they can finger them in supermarket car parks.

[Babylon]

1 minute ago, Voll Blau said:

The problem is you then get a whole generation being lumped in with a minority of boy racer nobheads (who, to be fair, shouldn't be anywhere near the roads). Just test drivers more rigorously and police the roads more rigorously. The vast majority don't deserve to suffer because of a few souped-up wankstains trying to impress 14-year-old girls so they can finger them in supermarket car parks.

Are we all not controlled by a million rules there to stop a few plonkers who'd take things to the extremes. 

[urban.spaceman]

19 minutes ago, Babylon said:

 

Think it's more to do with trying to stop people being out with mates on quiet roads at all hours doing stupid things they wouldn't be doing at 3pm on busy roads.

 

I think they looked at banning them driving with people under a certain age at one point didn't they, for similar reasons.

Yet more attacks on the dogging community. Can’t we just respect everyone’s beliefs?!

[ScouseFox]

would’ve been a belter if this had happened when i passed. literally bought a car cos the buses stopped before i finished work. and then they would’ve told me i wasn’t allowed to drive my car home from work either. would’ve just had to live there. or not have a job, which would’ve been great. 

[Samilktray]

This is so brilliantly stupid that it has to be some Tory nonce just trolling for the fun of it 

[Uranyl Yellow]

The accidents have got little to do with not being capable of driving at night (or any other time for that matter), but are more likely due to driving like Johnny Bigballs to impress the collection of other dickheads in the car.