Driving age increase to 18 and curfew for new drivers mooted

Passing a driving test and getting a licence is a rite of passage for many teenagers. But they may have to wait an extra year if the government implements changes being proposed.

A report commissioned by the government recommends that probationary licences are in future issued from the age of 18. Currently a provisional driving licence for a car can be applied for three months before the applicant turns 17; a provisional licence for a motorcycle or moped can be applied for three months before they turn 16.

The proposals suggest a 12-month "learner stage" during which drivers would have to clock up 100 hours of daytime driving practice under supervision, and 20 hours at night.

A curfew would see the roads clear of newly qualified drivers between 10pm and 5am unless they were carrying a passenger aged over 30 – and they would be banned from travelling with anyone younger than that if they themselves are not yet 30.

Currently, a provisional licence-holder, no matter their age, has to be accompanied by a driver over 21 who has held a full licence for at least three years.

More than 20% of deaths on Britain's roads in 2011 involved drivers aged 17-24 and about 10% of novice drivers are caught committing an offence within their probationary period.

Young male drivers aged 17-20 are seven times more at risk of a road accident than the average male driver; between the hours of 2am and 5am that risk is 17 times higher, according to research from the Centre for Transport Studies.

A Department for Transport spokesman said: "Young drivers drive around 5% of all the miles driven in Britain, but are involved in about 20% of the crashes where someone is killed or seriously injured."

Motoring organisations welcomed the proposals. Stephen Glaister, director of the RAC Foundation, said: "Young people are four times more likely to die in a road accident than as a result of drink or drugs.

"Yet, as a society we seem to turn a blind eye to the carnage. If this was any other area of public health there would be an outcry.

"Circumstances conspire against young drivers. Their youth and lack of experience create a deadly mix which means one in five will have an accident within the first six months of passing their test."

The proposals are part of a government commissioned report from the Transport Research Laboratory which will inform a green paper to be released later this year.