Parents back young driver curfew to save lives of their own children

The research shows that 94 per cent of parents of drivers aged 17 to 21 fear for their children’s life if they are driving or getting a lift with another young person.

The online poll of 1,000 parents for road safety charity Brake and solicitors Leigh Day & Co also found that 80 per cent would back restrictions on new drivers in the first year after passing their test.

These could include a lower drink-drive limit, a driving curfew or a limit on passenger numbers.

Drivers aged up to 25 are involved in about one-third of fatal crashes in Scotland.

The Institute of Advanced Motorists estimated last year that young driver deaths could be cut by up to one-third if compulsory post-test training was introduced – as happened in Austria. The Association of British Insurers has called for the minimum driving test age to be raised to 18.

The Brake research, conducted last month, showed that 84 per cent of parents would buy technology that prevented their son or daughter from speeding if it was available and affordable. A total of 96 per cent said they had spoken to their son or daughter about the importance of safe and legal driving.

The survey showed that 27 per cent believe their son or daughter drives after drinking alcohol. More than four in ten said they thought their son or daughter drives while using a hand-held phone to call or text.

Brake published the results to promote its “Too Young to Die” campaign, aimed at highlighting the death toll among young people on the roads.

The charity said it wanted the UK government to introduce “graduated” driver licensing to enable new drivers to build up experience while limiting exposure to risky situations.

Ellen Booth, Brake’s senior campaigns officer, said: “Parents of young drivers are worried, and rightly so – a horrifying number of road deaths and serious injuries involve young people – but there are things they can do. It is vital parents talk to teenage children about the risks of driving and crucial steps like staying within speed limits, never driving after drinking, and ensuring they and any passengers belt up.”

UK road safety minister Mike Penning said: “We have already taken steps to make the driving test more realistic by introducing an independent driving element and stopping the publication of test routes.

“We are also considering how to improve training for drivers after they pass their test.

“However, we do not propose placing any restrictions on new drivers as we do not want to unfairly penalise responsible young people who rely on driving to get to work or college.”