curfew on Young Drivers

I've only just started doing it. Wonder if something has changed at HQ!

petallus; I keep doing that!!

Oh not again! Obviously i have posted on the wrong thread again.

Had already read this.

The last time I walked past a Roma/Traveller family whilst out on a walk a child threw stones at me whilst the parents looked on scowling. The child seemed to be inder the imoression that I might have untied their donkey, thus enabling it to wander off.

I've driven nearly 500 miles on motorways over the last couple of days. I've seen some incredibly bad driving and today in heavy rain when visibility was down to a few hundred yards, numerous drivers had not switched on their lights - so dangerous especially when they were still driving at well over 70mph. My other gripe is that everyone seems to drive in the middle lane, leaving the nearside lane almost empty. No wonder young drivers pick up bad habits from their parents!

The problem is that young men learn by pushing themselves to the limit and seeing how far they can take it; when you put them behind the wheel of a car it's a recipe for disaster until an awareness of mortality kicks in as they get slightly older. I often think that, if the human race had just evolved with just women we would still be living in caves because they are safe and, why invent wheels when we have two legs to walk with? If there was a speed limit for younger drivers the people in cars behind would just get frustrated and overtake more often [and probably in dangerous places; this is what my daughter found when she used her green plates]. I do think that not allowing pasengers is a good idea, though, as they tend to show off more when they have an audience. I'm not knocking young lads, by the way; as I say, if it wasn't for their mindset we wouldn't live in the world that we do.

I learned to drive when I was in my late teens. The key things that made it easier, and safer to be a novice driver in the 60's were the fact the roads were so much quieter, and cars were neither as reliable, or as fast. I don't think the proposals are practical, or enforceable. Would a 40 mph limit for novice drivers reduce accidents as well as sending out the message that speed kills, especially in the hands of inexperienced drivers.

I reckon between us we could put together a good, workable policy which would save lives and incidentally have saved the Government a lot of money. Ask GN I say!

Perhaps the way forward would be to restrict the size of car/power allowed for any novice driver to say 1.2 for the first year or two.

Why just young people? Why not immediately take away the licence of anyone, whatever their age, who is driving with any alcohol in their bloodstream?

They know how to do regulations in Australia gally - probably slightly differently in each state as well. ;)

Did they say 4young a week killed in car incidents? The death rate relative to the amount of driving time being disproportionate .

In NSW Australia after passing 2 tests, both written and practical, a red P plate is used, followed by a green one after passing yet another test, I think after a year, but I am sure our Oz members will put me right! After another period of time and one more test you can finally drive without plates. If you speed or are caught drink driving in that period you have to go back to square 1 or can even lose your provisional licence. DD2 has finally become a legit driver after 5 years - she kept having babies so it took rather longer than it should! Something along those lines wouldn't be a bad idea in the UK as well as having to experience motorway and night time driving and following that up with a test.

Sel I can say that cause my son drives one .

Two of my children passed their tests at 18 and were put on my insurance. Meant I didn't have my car often but at least I had a level of control over when, where and how long. When my eldest had her own car, a mini, she drove it to school (A level re-takes) and a group of lads picked it up and jammed it between two posts so that the only way she could get into it was through the boot. Amazingly no-one saw them doing it.

My youngest daughter was in her early twenties when she took her test. She was (and is) a PCSO and needed to drive to work. Shortly after passing she took basic police driving skills course and surprised us all by passing. Given the suggestions today she would not have been able to do her job for a year. Mind you she is the one who now drives a motorbike, is 5'4" and I think must have been found under a gooseberry bush.

Oops sorry, I'm rambling. Happy daze!

Tegan that is a totally BMWist remark but I accept your apology

I think it's one of the most worrying times as a parent, when your 17old passes their driving test and heads out on the road alone. I would have welcomed this restriction personally.

Bluebell it's true that the plural of anecdote is not data but anecdote can give valuable insights/information nevertheless.

Not everything has to come down to number-crunching.

Apology accepted!

You must realise that the rules of driving don't apply to BMW drivers . [apologies to any BMW drivers reading this ].

I agree there are bad drivers in all ages, just yesterday I was tailgated by a man in a BMW he then pulled into oncoming traffic and nipped into the space I had left between me and the car in front - he must have been around 40. Later I was stopped at a roundabout when a car came round it at speed without indicating - I had started to move off as I thought he was going straight on - he was a young driver around 18. Whilst I am having a whinge there were also the pedestrians who stepped out from behind a bus to cross the road in front of me - there was a zebra crossing about 3 yards further up the road!

My daughter had a 'P' plate on her car when she first passed her test. She took it off soon afterwards because she said it seemed to affect those driving around her in a negative way. I once went on a car journey with a friend who drove in the most erratic way and vowed I would never get in a car with him again [I didn't]. He never had an accident in his life but his style of driving made people very careful when the same driving space [he rode a pushbike in the same way; in the middle of the road and wobbling all over the place].

The statistics are clear that the younger the driver, the more serious accidents. I seem to remember hearing that the accident rate increases with the number of passengers. This may be an "impress my friends" factor - or just a distraction factor. Would you want your grandchild driving home 4 drunken friends the week after they passed their test. I would not.
There is also good evidence that in the mid-late teens young people are much less good at assessing risky situations than older people. They have more accidents in other situations (than driving) as well.
This is about trying to reduce the number of premature deaths (and those of innocent parties) on the road. The only question is, what is the best way to restrict younger drivers and protect them from themselves.

There's one for you, middle aged idiots shouldn't be allowed on the A1. Off to work bye bye.

I think there are bad drivers of all ages. Travelling up the A1 yesterday a convoy of three cars pulled out in front of us. They were obviously following each other but failed to judge the speed of the traffic approaching (between 60-70mph) my husband fortunately managed to brake very hard or I fail to think what might have happened. These were not young drivers at all just middle aged idiots.

Where do you stop, can you find statistics that say people over fifty should resit there driving test every ten years?. All old men over sixty five shouldn't drive?. Just be careful out there, and read the road ahead, you have to drive for the other idiots out there. Sadly no amount of legislation will cure the problem, we are all guilty of bad driving at some time, and I question anyone who says they are not.