Northern Ireland Assembly Education Service



Survey of Young People’s Views on Planned Changes to Driving Licensing LawsNotes to aid discussionThe Northern Ireland Assembly’s Environment Committee is currently considering the Road Traffic Bill, which will change the way young people learn to drive. It wants to hear the views of 13 to 24 year olds, and organisations representing them, on these changes. The Bill was introduced to the Assembly on 12 May 2014 by the Minister for the Environment and, following a debate in the Chamber on 27 May, the Assembly voted to consider the Bill further. It is now the job of the Environment Committee to examine the Bill in detail, to consult experts and the public, and to suggest any changes or ‘amendments’ to the law that the Committee thinks would improve it. BackgroundThe aim of the relevant part of the Bill is: “ …to amend the law, as respects certain vehicles, relating to the age at which a provisional licence may be obtained, the requirements to be satisfied to take a test of competence to drive and the restrictions to which newly qualified drivers are subject for a period after passing such a test; to make provision relating to completion of an approved course as an alternative to licence revocation during a new driver’s probationary period …”Q Why do you think the Minister for the Environment wants to change the law in this area? Northern Ireland’s Road Safety Strategy to 2020 outlines the key challenges to be addressed and include (i) continuing to reduce the numbers of road deaths and serious injuries; (ii) reducing inappropriate and illegal road user behaviours including drink driving; and (iii) the protection of young drivers (age range 16-24).In Northern Ireland between 2004 and 2008, 17 to 24 year old drivers were responsible for 41% of all deaths and 34% of all serious injuries for which car drivers were responsible over this period. This amounted to 163 deaths and 1,237 serious injuries. Young drivers comprised only 15% of full licence holders. The Road Safety Strategy to 2020 includes a target to reduce by at least 55% the number of young people killed or seriously injured. To help achieve this target the Department proposes to improve how new drivers are trained and tested to ensure that they are competent and safe when they start to drive unaccompanied on the road. Following a separate review of driver training testing and post-test regime, the Department proposes to reform the Learner (L) and Restricted (R) driver schemes by introducing a system of Graduated Driver Licensing. The Bill outlines the main changes to be made to address these issues. Not every detail of how the law will work is known yet or included in the Bill. If this Primary Bill is passed by the Assembly because it approves of its main aims, the Minister will have to bring forward further secondary legislation on some of the details, eg exactly what type and amount of driving experience should people have to have before they can take their test? It could be hours, number of lessons, or a combination of both. The Survey QuestionsQ1. Are you completing this questionnaire on behalf of an organisation?Note: A youth worker or other group leader might want to fill out the questionnaire on behalf of a group of young people, based on their responses to the different issues. ABOUT YOU (if answered no to question 1)Q3. What age are you?Note: The Committee would like to hear the views of 13 to 24 year olds.Q3. Are you male or female?Note: Why do you think the Committee is interested in knowing if young men and young women view the new rules differently? Do you think the changes to the law will have more of an impact on young men or young women?Q4. Where do you live?Note: the law might affect people differently, depending on where they live. For example, are those who live in rural areas more likely to be affected because they might depend on cars more than city dwellers? In a city or on the outskirts of a cityIn a townIn a country villageOn a farm in the countrysideIn the countryside but not on a farmQ5. If you are over 17, which one of these statements describes you?Note: the Committee wants to hear from those who have not yet taken their driving test AND those who have recent experience of going through the learning and test process.I do not have any driving licenceI have a provisional licenceI have held my full driving licence for less than six monthsI have held my full driving licence between six months and less than one year I have held my full licence between one year and less than two yearsI have held my full licence two years or moreQ6. If you do not have a licence, do you intend to apply for your driving licence?Yes No Q7. If yes, how will you pay for this?(Note: The Committee wants to find out about the financial impact on young people of the new proposals. Before you fill in the questionnaire, think about the cost of learning to drive. Do you think that any of the proposed changes will affect the cost of getting your full driving licence?)My parents/guardians will pay for all of itI will pay for it with the help of my parents/guardiansI will pay for it myself e.g. through savings or a job Other, please specify __________________________Q8. How do you usually travel to school /college/university/work?Note: Questions 6 and 7 aim to find out how often young people use cars – as a driver or passenger?AlwaysOftenSometimesSeldomNeverWalkCycleBusTaxiA lift from a parent or other adult aged 24 or olderA lift from a friend aged under 24 who passed their test in the last 6 monthsA lift from a friend aged under 24 who passed their test more than 6 months agoI drive by myself or with family membersI drive and give my friends, including 14-20 year olds, a liftOther (please specify)Q9. How do you usually travel when you are going out with friends e.g. shopping, to the cinema or to an evening or sporting event?AlwaysOftenSometimesSeldomNeverWalkCycleBusTaxiA lift from a parent or other adult aged 24 or olderA lift from a friend aged under 24 who passed their test in the last 6 monthsA lift from a friend aged under 24 who passed their test more than 6 months agoI drive by myself or with family membersI drive and give my friends, including 14-20 year olds, a liftOther (please specify)________________Provisional Driving LicencesQ10. What do you think about the following planned changes to the law about provisional driving licences?Note: Under the current rules, young people cannot get their provisional licence until they are 17, but can do their test and get their full licence (with restrictions for a year) as soon as they are 17. One of the MLAs on the Environment Committee which is considering the law got her licence 5 weeks after her 17th birthday! The new rules will mean a longer period of learning – one year. Why do you think this new rule has been included in the Bill? Do you see any problems arising as a result of the change? Good ideaBad ideaDon’t knowYoung people would be able to get a provisional licence at age 16 and a half instead of 17. Young people would have their provisional licence for at least a year before they could sit their first practical test, meaning the youngest they could get their full driving licence is at age 17 and a halfQ. Why do you think these planned changes to the law about provisional driving licences are a good or bad idea? How, if at all, do you think they might affect you or other young people?Driving lessons and testsNote: Some of the changes will allow future learner drivers to gain experience that they can’t get at the moment, such as driving up to the maximum speed limit of 70mph and driving on the motorway. The new law will also require learners to record in their logbook that they have driven in a wider variety of roads, traffic environments and weather conditions. Do you agree that learner drivers should have to get at least some formal lessons from a qualified instructor? Or do you think that instruction by a qualified driver is sufficient?Q11. What do you think about the following planned changes to the law about driving lessons and tests?Good ideaBad ideaDon’t knowYoung people could take lessons on motorways when accompanied by an Approved Driving Instructor in a dual-controlled car (at the minute learners are not allowed to drive on the motorway).Young learners or new drivers would be allowed to drive up to the speed limits instead of at or below 45 mph.The driving test would include driving on a wider range of roads and in different conditions. Young people would have to complete a new 'Learning to Drive' course and produce a student logbook of driving experience, signed by an Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) or qualified driver, before sitting the practical test.Q. Why do you think these planned changes to the law about driving lessons and tests are a good or bad idea? How, if at all, do you think they might affect you or other young people?Student logbookQ12. With regards to the suggested student log book, who do you think the driving experience should be with?An approved driving instructor onlyA qualified driver onlyBoth an approved driving instructor and qualified driver Q. Why do you think this?Q13. Should the required driving experience be based on the number of lessons with a driving instructor or the number of hours?Note: Currently, many learner drivers are able to get experience of driving with any qualified driver. Often this experience is used to reinforce what has been learnt from the qualified driving instructor. Not all young people have access to a car between lessons. The number of lessonsThe number of hours of driving experienceQ Why do you think this?After you pass your driving testQ14. What do you think about the following planned changes to the law about after you pass your driving test?Note: The current situation:R plates for one yearYou cannot drive above 45 mph at any timeRegarding passengers, you can have whoever you want in the car and as many passenger as the car holds (legally)Within the first 2 years, you lose your licence if you get six points for breaching driving laws (usually 3 for each offence). To regain your full driving licence you must reapply for a provisional driving licence, and pass the theory and practical driving tests againPoints can also be issued under the provisional license, which get carried over to the full license. Points remain on your license for three years.What the new proposals sayGood ideaBad ideaDon’t knowYoung people would have to display N (for ‘New’ driver/rider) plates for two years instead of an R plate for one year.As a new driver (under 24 years old), young people would not be allowed to carry passengers aged 14 to 20 (except immediate family members) during the first six months after they pass their driving test. They can do so if there is a supervising driver (aged 21 years plus with a full licence for three years) in the front passenger seat. Note: Think about what this might mean for young people in terms of getting to school, work and for their social lives? Why do you think the Minister included this new rule in the Bill?For a period of two years instead of one, young people would have a lower drink drive limit than experienced drivers.For a period of two years young people could lose their licence with six or more penalty points. (this would continue the current situation but the alternative below is new.)Young people may be given the opportunity to take a course instead of losing their licence if they had six or more penalty points.Why do you think these planned changes to the law about driving lessons and tests are a good or bad idea? How, if at all, do you think they might affect you or other young people?Q15. How concerned are you/young people about each of the following?Extremely concernedQuite concernedA little concernedNot at all concernedThe cost of getting your licence e.g. lessons and testingThe increased length of time it will take to get your licenceThe fact that there are more elements to the testHaving to complete a student log book Tighter restrictions on new drivers Not being allowed to carry passengers aged 14 to 20 (except immediate family members) during the first six months of passing your test unless supervisedOther suggestions that were rejectedNote: The Environment Minister consulted young people and others before drafting (writing) the Bill to see what they thought about a number of ideas for changes to the law in this area. Some of the original ideas did not make it into the Bill. They are listed in the question below. Do you think any of them should have been included? The Assembly’s Environment Committee can suggest changes to the Bill. Q16. The following are suggestions that had been considered for inclusion in the Bill but were rejected by the Government Minister. Do you think any of these should have been included in the Bill or was it right to reject them?Should have been kept inWas right to reject thisDon’t knowMake learners and new drivers have training in what to do if the car goes into a skidDon’t allow learner or new drivers to drive cars that are built to go very fastDon’t allow new drivers to drive at nightAn offence free period before restrictions are removed. For example, if a driver was subject to a six month offence free rule and they committed a driving offence two months before the end of their restricted period, the restriction would not be lifted for another four months, that is, until they have had six consecutive months free of offences.Q17. Do you have any other ideas about how the law could be changed to make our roads safer?Note: This Bill will also reduce lower the amount of alcohol allowed in the system when driving. Between 2003 and 2007 an average of 25 people were killed and 119 seriously injured every year in collisions attributable to driver/rider alcohol or drugs. In 2009, the Department issued a consultation paper that considered the need for change, reported on the outcomes of alternative approaches in other jurisdictions and proposed changes to Northern Ireland’s current drink drive legislation aimed at deterring people from drinking and driving. Having considered the way forward on measures to tackle drink driving, the Department proposes to introduce new lower breath, blood and urine alcohol limits, a new graduated penalty regime including greater use of educational courses and new police powers of enforcement. ................
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