Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he plans to extend graduated driving licences from motorbike users to newly qualified car drivers.

The Department keeps driving licensing requirements under review, but there are not any plans to introduce any further restrictions on newly qualified car drivers.

We have a form of restricting novice drivers though the Road Traffic (New Drivers) Act 1995. On acquiring their first full licence, a new driver is on ‘probation’ for two years. During this time, they are subject to a limit of six penalty points received for any driving offences (including any received when in the learning stage). If six or more points are received, then a driver’s licence is revoked and must apply again for a provisional licence, re-entering the learning stage.

Two years after passing their first driving test, or on passing again after being subject to licence revocation under the Road Traffic (New Drivers) Act 1995, drivers enter the full licence stage. There are no restrictions in this stage beyond basic legal requirements.

For new and novice drivers the Department’s broad aim is to improve road safety through new technology and research; and particularly for young drivers, developing better learning opportunities and targeted educational messaging, while reinforcing vital road safety messages through our THINK! Campaigns.