Northern Ireland's young drivers first in UK to get new driving licensing laws
Summary
Northern Ireland has introduced new driving rules for young and new drivers called graduated driver licensing (GDL) to reduce road accidents. These include a minimum six-month learning period before taking the driving test and restrictions on young drivers carrying passengers at night.Key Facts
- Northern Ireland is the first UK region to start graduated driver licensing (GDL) for new drivers.
- GDL focuses on drivers aged 17 to 23 and requires learners to have at least six months of driving practice before testing.
- Newly qualified drivers under 24 cannot carry young passengers at night.
- Breaking the rules can lead to penalty points or fines up to £1,000.
- Young drivers (17-23) cause 24% of crashes but make up only 8% of license holders in Northern Ireland.
- In 2024, 251 people were killed or seriously hurt in crashes involving young drivers; 65% of these crashes were the young driver’s fault.
- In England and Wales, there is now a minimum waiting time before driving tests, but full GDL is not introduced.
- Some rural young people feel the new rules make it harder for them to get around due to limited transport options.
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