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Northern Ireland is set to become the first region in the UK to implement graduated driving licences for learner drivers, a move aimed at reducing fatal road accidents involving young people. The upcoming reforms, anticipated to be the most substantial in licensing laws in seven decades, will take inspiration from similar systems already established in countries such as Australia, the US, and the Republic of Ireland. Scheduled to begin in October, these changes will primarily affect drivers aged between 17 and 23, altering the traditional process of learning to drive.
Among the new regulations, learners will face a mandatory six-month period before they can take their practical driving test. Additional restrictions will include limitations on night-time driving hours and the number of passengers allowed during early driving stages. Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins emphasized that these measures target young drivers, a group disproportionately affected by serious road injuries and fatalities. Senior Police Service of Northern Ireland officer, Chief Superintendent Sam Donaldson, also expressed strong support, stating that the scheme has the potential to save lives on the roads.
The Department for Infrastructure explained that these graduated licences are designed to overhaul training and testing for novice drivers and motorcyclists. In 2024 alone, 164 people aged 17 to 23 were killed or seriously injured in road crashes in Northern Ireland. This demographic accounted for nearly a quarter of fatal or serious collisions despite holding only 8% of all licences. Pat Delaney, director of operations at the Driver and Vehicle Agency Northern Ireland (DVANI), stressed that the new rules will apply to anyone obtaining a provisional licence from 1 October onward and aim ultimately to enhance road safety for young drivers.
Key components of the new system include a requirement to complete 14 training modules approved by driving instructors or supervising adults, an extension of the ‘restricted’ driving period from 12 to 24 months with the mandatory display of an ‘R’ plate, and passenger restrictions during the first six months after passing the test. Specifically, new drivers aged under 24 may carry only one passenger aged 14 to 20 between 11 pm and 6 am, with exemptions for immediate family or when a licensed adult with three years’ experience occupies the front passenger seat. Notably, learner drivers will gain permission to drive on motorways with an approved instructor and to drive at posted speed limits once qualified. Moreover, the current 45mph speed limit for restricted drivers will be removed, and penalties for breaking the new rules could include fines up to £1,000 or three penalty points on a licence.
Reactions among young people vary. At St Mark’s High School in Warrenpoint, several pupils expressed mixed feelings
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