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Seven in ten people favour of Graduated Driver Licencing scheme
Strong public concern about the safety risks associated with younger motorists.
Seven in ten people favour of Graduated Driver Licencing scheme.
Reporter:
Staff Reporter
18 Mar 2026 4:00 PM
Email:
news@derrynow.com
The North is set to become the first region to adopt graduated driver licensing in a move to "reduce the number of young people killed or seriously injured on our roads".
Graduated driver licensing is due to be introduced on October 1, 2026.
Graduated driver licensing aims to improve road safety by bringing in measures such as a six-month wait for learner drivers before taking a practical test, an extended ‘R’ plate period from 12 months to 24 months, as well as restrictions on night-time driving and passenger numbers.
New research from Northern Ireland's largest comparison site, CompareNI.com has revealed strong public concern about young driver safety, with almost two thirds of people surveyed supporting the "introduction of tougher rules for newly qualified drivers.
The research also showed seven in ten people (71%) are in favour of these new rules and believe they will help save lives.
The poll of more than 800 drivers also highlighted strong public concern about the safety risks associated with younger motorists.
Six in ten respondents (61%) believed drivers aged 17–24 are the most dangerous on the road, while almost three-quarters (74%) say young drivers are more easily distracted than older motorists.
Worryingly, many people said they have personally witnessed risky behaviour, with 83% saying they have seen a young driver break the rules of the road.
More than one in four people (42%) felt that overconfidence is the biggest issue facing young drivers, followed closely by driving too fast (39%).
Meanwhile, 37% said they had either been involved in, or knew someone who had been involved in, a road traffic accident involving a young driver.
While the majority of people were in favour of graduated driver licensing, 27% expressed concerns that some of the proposed rules might be too restrictive.
Furthermore, 41% felt the new rules would be too difficult to enforce, while a fifth were worried they could encourage rule breaking.
The public also appeared to be cautious about relaxing existing restrictions, with 70% believing plans to remove the current 45mph speed limit for new drivers will not improve road safety.
Ian Wilson, car insurance expert and Managing Director at CompareNI.com said: “Road safety remains a major concern for many motorists, and our survey findings show there is clear public backing for measures aimed at improving driver safety - particularly when it comes to supporting young and inexperienced drivers.
“New drivers, especially young ones, face the highest risk of serious crashes, and graduated driver licensing could be an effective tool that could help save lives on our roads.
“By limiting their exposure to high-risk situations such as driving at nighttime or how many passengers they can carry, the proposed system would allow newly qualified drivers to gain valuable experience and develop safe habits before gaining access to full driving privileges.
“Also, if the accident rate drops and insurers face fewer claims, graduated driver licensing could in turn help reduce car insurance premiums for young motorists, who are currently facing eye-watering averages of £1470 a year - just behind London, the UK’s most expensive region.”
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