New driver pact
A great idea to help young drivers stay safer once they’ve passed their test
About New driver pact
Young drivers in the UK are one of the most at-risk groups on the road. Under 20s are involved in 12% of serious crashes while only making up 1.5% of the driving population, and are twice as likely to die as drivers in their 40s. A quarter of drivers under 25 crash within 2 years of passing their test and a significant majority of them are young men.
Research has shown the reason to be a deadly cocktail of youth and inexperience. Young people are naturally quick to pick up new skills, but are prone to over-confidence. There are many situations where hazards are not obvious, and awareness of these comes with experience. Young drivers still need to put more of their concentration in to basic mechanical tasks such as steering and gear changing, and are therefore slower to react to hazards. Add in distractions such as mobile phones or a car load of friends, or the added stress of night driving and it can be a recipe for disaster.
A new driver’s license is probationary for two years. Just 6 penalty points will mean having to retake the theory and practical test again. The most common offences are speeding and using a mobile, which can now both result in 6 points for one offence.
What’s the solution?
A great way to improve this is to have a parent/young driver agreement. This allows the new driver to use a parent’s car unsupervised under agreed conditions, such as not carrying passengers or driving at night. This enables parents to set sanctions based on recognised risk factors and lessen the chances of their child being involved in a collision while they are still gaining valuable driving experience. Some suggestions for your New Driver Pact are:
- not to drive after 11pm.
- not to drive on Friday and Saturday nights.
- never to use your mobile while driving.
- not to drive with more than one passenger.
- ensure that everyone wears their seat belts.
- don’t drink and drive.
- don’t take drugs and drive.
- display ‘P’ (Probationer) plates.
You could also enrol on a Pass Plus programme.
Good Egg Drivers have a sample agreement to download, which you can tailor to your own needs.
Pass Plus Good egg drivers sample agreement