Driving age 'must rise to 18'

18 March 2008

Transport committee wants limit raised
Ban on young carrying passengers
One third of road deaths involve young drivers

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The minimum driving age must be raised from 17 to 18 to stop young people 'killing themselves and others', according to a report from the House of Commons transport committee.

The committee also wants learner drivers to have their lessons over the course of a year before taking their driving tests, as well as a total alcohol ban for new drivers.

The report added that novice drivers should be banned from carrying passengers between the age of 10 and 20 late at night.

Government figures show that a third of deaths on the road involve a driver between the age of 17 and 25, even though the age bracket accounts for just one in eight of all full licence-holders.

The chairman of the transport committee, Gwyneth Dunwoody, MP for Crewe and Nantwich, said 'The reality is that we aren't talking about people having the odd crunch… but people killing themselves and killing others'

The Government has said that it would not rule out the proposals.