Proposals to Raise Driving Age to 18

[jont]

My PERSONAL view is that we should have an 'L' test, then a short time later - say 3 months, have another test.

3 months is too short - my children and their friends took their tests while still at school, and hardly drove in the following three months.

Equally lots of people may drive their parents car while in 6th form, but then don't drive for a few years while at University. A little while ago I had a colleague who hadn't driven for 10 years go and buy a car. Fortunately he decided to also invest in some refresher lessons.

[JamesE]

I'm sorry, but I fail to see what changing the driving age by one year is going to achieve apart from pissing off alot of 17 year olds, who can't vote so can't do anything about it!

If they really wanted to improve standards before the test, then why not allow accompanied driving on the road with their parents from the age of 16, as is allowed in France?

[ROG]

this thread is relevant to this one IMO

[steev]

I'm sorry, but I fail to see what changing the driving age by one year is going to achieve apart from pissing off alot of 17 year olds, who can't vote so can't do anything about it!

Agree that your 'age' is no indicator of maturity.

As for the voting my point was that if you stop the upcoming new drivers from driving for another year until they reach 18 then when they do get to 18 and can vote they aren't likely to be putting their X next to whichever government stopped them from driving earlier.

There will be enormous pressure from the ADIs too - it would be like telling them all that there isn't going to be any work for the next 12 months.

My best guess is that there will at some point be a 'cant take your test until 18 but can learn to drive at 17' rule as this looks like something is being done without actually having a big effect.

[MGF]

My best guess is that there will at some point be a 'cant take your test until 18 but can learn to drive at 17' rule as this looks like something is being done without actually having a big effect.

That's actually the proposal the report has made. It's just been somewhat misrepresented by the media reports.