Learning to Drive - The Evidence

In 2007, the Department for Transport announced that a fundamental overhaul of how people learn to drive was required in order to address key gaps in driver training and testing and to improve safety on British roads.

In response to this, the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) produced a summary of proposals in their consultation: Learning to Drive. This report sets out the evidence on why there is a need to transform the training and testing of drivers, illustrating the Department for Transport and the Driving Standards Agency’s assessment of the current problem.

The evidence has been grouped into three key (but related) issues:

• Issues with how people are learning to drive.
• Weaknesses in what people learn during driver training and testing.
• The ability, attitudes and behaviours of new drivers.

This report has been prepared by the Department for Transport, with the Driving
Standards Agency, to illustrate our assessment of the problem. It does not represent
a systematic review of all the evidence on driver education, training and testing.

The report also focuses solely on learning to drive for car drivers rather the drivers of other vehicles.

The summary below makes statements which are not really news to most ADIs. So, the evidence is in, what about actions? Something for discussion at your next association meeting perhaps? 

Summary

Some new and young drivers have a poor understanding of good driving

• Young drivers are less aware of the social dimensions of driving which govern the shared use of the road.

• Some new drivers believe that they really learn to drive after passing the practical test.

• Many young drivers believe that accidents are a normal part of learning to drive after the test.

New drivers have significant gaps in driving experience or ability when they qualify for a full licence

• Too many new drivers qualify with little or no exposure to many typical driving conditions.

• Many of those who pass the test have not achieved a consistent standard.

Although new drivers emerge from the practical test with high levels of confidence in their driving ability, they can identify gaps in their skills but seek no further training

• New drivers are initially overconfident in their driving ability.

• New drivers admit to significant gaps in their driving skills just after passing the

practical test

• Few new drivers take further training to improve their driving after passing their test.

Young and new drivers exhibit a range of unsafe attitudes and driving behaviours

• Young and new drivers exhibit speeding behaviour.

• Young and new drivers admit to drink driving.

• Young drivers think that their peers’ driving is unsafe.

• Young drivers exhibit risky behaviour, which contributes to accidents.

Learning to Drive: The Evidence

Many young drivers are involved in road accidents and they are overrepresented in road casualty statistics

• A large number of young and new drivers are involved in road accidents and near misses.

• Many young and new drivers are involved in road casualty accidents.

• Young drivers are over-represented in road casualties.

• As a result of high accident rates, young and new drivers have relatively high insurance premiums.