Organisation: Department for Infrastructure (NI)
Date uploaded: 28th March 2011
Date published/launched: March 2011
The Department of the Environment in Northern Ireland has drafted a consultation paper on proposed changes to learner, restricted, and graduated drivers.
The paper includes a summary of Northern Ireland’s ‘new driver problem’, potential measures to reduce road related casualties, and consultation questions seeking feedback on the proposed measures.
According to the report a combination of inexperience and youth lies at the heart of Northern Ireland’s new driver problem. It reveals that between 2004 and 2008 young drivers in Northern Ireland were responsible for 135 fatal and 816 serious collisions on the roads.
In response to the figures the consultation suggests a series of measures which aim to reduce new driver related road casualties, including:
• Raising the minimum licensing age.
• Amending or removing speed limits for learner and restricted drivers.
• Allowing learners to drive on motorways.
• Introducing night-time and passenger restrictions for restricted drivers.
• Increasing the duration of the restriction period.
For more information contact:
Adele Watts
T: 028 90540611