Green Paper – Young Drivers

 As most readers will know, The UK Department for Transport is shortly due to issue a green paper looking at a range of options for improving the safety of newly-qualified drivers. Among the proposals being considered are:

• a minimum learning period before candidates are permitted to sit their test.

• enabling learner drivers to take lessons on motorways, and perhaps during adverse weather conditions or during darkness to encourage greater practice prior to taking a test.

• increasing the existing probationary period from 2 to 3 years for a new driver’s licence to be revoked if they receive 6 or more penalty points.

• making the driving test more rigorous to better prepare learners to drive unsupervised.

• incentives for young drivers to take up additional training after passing their test.

The government is also considering the possibility of imposing temporary restrictions on newly qualified drivers and further details will be included for discussion when the green paper is published

A Green Paper is “(in the UK) a preliminary report of government proposals published to stimulate discussion.” It details specific issues, and then points out possible courses of action in terms of policy and legislation.

It is commissioned from if the Government feels that there is an area where new legislation is required, or existing legislation needs to be re-vamped. Crucially, a Green Paper contains no commitment to action, it is more a tool of stimulating discussion, but it is often the first step towards changing the law.

When published the public consultation will be open for 12 weeks