New drivers aged under 21 should be banned from carrying passengers of the same age for six months after passing their test, a motoring organization has claimed.

The AA said it also wants these motorists to be given six penalty points if they fail to wear a seat belt for the same period, which would mean losing their license.

To facilitate police enforcement, a ‘G’ plate should be placed on young drivers’ cars, to emphasize that they are ‘qualified’ drivers, the AA has proposed.

These measures would take the form of a form of graduated driving license (GDL), used in several countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia and Sweden.

The AA estimates that the introduction of GDL in the UK would save at least 58 lives and prevent 934 people from being seriously injured in road accidents each year.

Department for Transport (DfT) figures show 290 people were killed and 4,669 were seriously injured in crashes on UK roads last year involving at least one driver aged between 17 and 24.

AA chief executive Jakob Pfaudler said: “Not only is this a tragic loss of lives, it also contributes to increasing the burden of high insurance premiums on young drivers.

“These premiums are expected to fall when there is a reduction in the number of young drivers and passengers killed or seriously injured.

“Progressive driving licensing has been proven in other countries to significantly reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries on the roads.

“We are calling on the Transport Secretary to make simple, pragmatic changes to the licensing process so young people are better protected during their first months of independent driving.”

Under the Conservative government, the DfT announced in July 2019 that it was considering introducing the GDL in England, but the evaluation was halted in autumn 2020, partly due to the potential impact on employment young people.

The most popular element of the AA’s proposal, according to an online survey of 10,566 of its members, was the passenger restrictions, with 33% of respondents saying they would support them.

Edmund King, director of the AA Charitable Trust, said: “Introducing passenger restrictions would help to alleviate the increased risk that young drivers face when traveling with passengers of the same age.

“A six-month restriction is a small price to pay to save young lives.

“There is great support for the introduction of the GDL, which gives this government a real opportunity to deliver on this and save lives.

“The very recent inquest into the tragic deaths of four young men is a stark reminder that action must be taken to protect young lives, and it must be taken as soon as possible. »

Last week, North West Wales Senior Coroner Kate Robertson raised concerns about newly qualified young drivers carrying passengers after an inquest into the deaths of four teenagers who drowned when their car fell into a ditch in November last year.

A DfT spokesperson said: “Every death on our roads is a tragedy and our thoughts are with the families of everyone who has lost a loved one in this way.

“While we are not considering graduated driver licensing, we absolutely recognize that young people are disproportionately victims of tragic accidents on our roads, and we are considering further measures to address this issue and protect young drivers.

“That’s why we are committed to implementing a new road safety strategy – the first in over a decade – and will set out the next steps in due course. »