Parents want restrictions on young drivers’ licences

The road safety charity Brake is calling for action to tackle young driver and passenger casualties, as a survey of 1,000 parents of young drivers finds almost all (94%) fear for their son or daughter's life when they are driving or getting a lift with another young person, while many believe their child takes deadly risks at the wheel.

The survey found that four in five (80%) parents want the government to impose restrictions on new drivers for the first year after passing their test, such as a lower drink-drive limit, a night-time driving curfew or a limit on passenger numbers.

The vast majority are also willing to take steps themselves to stop risk taking: 84% said they would buy technology that prevents their son or daughter from speeding if it was available and affordable, and 96% had spoken to their son or daughter about the importance of safe and legal driving.

The survey also found that parents are aware of shocking levels of risk taking at the wheel by their children:

• More than one in four (27%) thinks their son or daughter drives after drinking alcohol. Parents of males were more likely to report this (31%) compared to parents of females (25%).
• More than four in ten (41%) thinks their son or daughter drives while using a hand-held phone to call or text. Parents of males were more likely to report this (47%) compared to parents of females (34%).