Does anyone know if the driving limit has gone up to 18?

Cheers

not that im aware of.

I reckon it should! But surely a change like that would have been better publicised!?

Yeah that's what I thought because I can't find anything on the DVLA website

It hasn't, unless lots of my students are breaking the law.

It should though.

No still 17 for cars and 16 for mopeds

It should though.

Why? When road deaths are at an all time low, why should the younger generation not be afforded the same responsibilities that you were at that age?

I think those over 65 should not be allowed on the road!

I think it has, my niece couldn't drive until she was 18 which she was last year.

I passed in febuary aged 17, it hasnt gone up

Why? When road deaths are at an all time low, why should the younger generation not be afforded the same responsibilities that you were at that age?

The roads are quite full.

Younger drivers are more likely to kill/die.

I stand corrected, odd why my niece thought that.

its been a persistent rumour for about twenty years most 16yr olds tend to believe in.

So the driving age is put up to 21? The 21 – 25 age group is then most likely to be killed/injured, should we raise the limit further? Should we just ban everyone who hasn't already got a licence from the roads because the roads are 'too full'?

As above, it gets trotted out every year by people who might be affected by such a change.

No change yet in the UK. Other EU countries are different

Keep getting different answers 🙂 Surely the DVLA should have it on the website

No change. Still 17. Or I think 16 if you have a high enough degree of disability.

Im not too sure it would be safer after 18.

If people are learning to drive at 17 chances are there still doing A-levels and at home driving Mum and Dads car, or at least left school but still in contact with parents. Personally I'd think they'd be more likely to drive safe for a small amount of time because of this.

Im not sure 18 which for alot of people co-insides with first year university would be a great idea.

The real question should be how do figures compare between new drivers aged 17/18 and new drivers of any age. For all we know the dodgy period must be gone through regardless of age.

There is undoubtedly a dodgy period when you first pass your test, but the difference between a 17 year old male who's just passed and a 21 year old male who's just passed are noticeable. Sure DfT have done studies as part of their road safety stuff, I just can't be arsed to trawl back through their archives!

We're one of relatively few countries who just give you a full license and let you get on with it, most have curfews, limits on passengers or engine size, bans on certain roads etc, that's probably a better solution IMO.

It's just gone up in the Isle of Man, used to be 16.

Still 17, but should be limited to a certain CC/power until a certain age. This would stop young drivers driving relatively fast and powerful cars in the first few years.
Works for motorbikes, should be the same for cars.

Still 17, but should be limited to a certain CC/power until a certain age. This would stop young drivers driving relatively fast and powerful cars in the first few years.
Works for motorbikes, should be the same for cars.

The difference between hitting a child/tree/car/wall in a BMW at 60mph or a Rover Metro* doing the same speed would be?

*Or any other underpowered tin box

You drive a heap of shit, you're happy to plod along, you drive a car that is happy going fast, you want to go fast. Agree, 1.2l limit for 2 years or something, help to bring insurance down too.

Of course some will still end up upside down in a ditch, but it would almost certainly help!

You drive a heap of shit, you're happy to plod along, you drive a car that is happy going fast, you want to go fast.

Your not from round here are you 😆

Well obviously some 17 year olds are still going to want to rag whatever they drive (and some 27, 37 and 87 year olds), but if they can only do 80 and it requires a steep down hill and a following wind it's not quite the same as something where it's rather effortless!

I drove my girlfriend's 1.2l Polo last night, and was going substantially slower than in my own car, just because the car clearly wasn't wanting to go any quicker!

I think a combination of restrictions on passengers/time for X years after passing the test would make a difference.

A crackdown on parents who insure cars in their names with their kids as named drivers, when it's blatantly the kid's car, might also help.

I teach in a 16-18 college. We lose a student in a car crash roughly once every 18 months.

Agree on curfew as the statistics back this up.

Age at which a driver may drive different types of vehicle (for a car, 16 in Norway, 17 in Ireland and the U.K., 18 in most other EU countries, but 16 in Sweden and France as an accompanied driver under a contracted apprentissage or apprentice system).

There is undoubtedly a dodgy period when you first pass your test, but the difference between a 17 year old male who's just passed and a 21 year old male who's just passed are noticeable.

That sounds like it makes sense – but you don't actually know that, you only assume it. Which was my point.

Nah, sure there's road safety stats on it I've read somewhere, the joys of a degree in Transport Planning.

if they can only do 80 and it requires a steep down hill and a following wind it's not quite the same as something where it's rather effortless!

I do get your point njee20. But try telling that to all the families of people killed/hurt by a idiot driving at the speed limit but not concentrating.

I think anyone who is an idiot shouldn’t be allowed to drive, that would solve the problem. 😉

I didn't say it would stop all fatalities, but it would reduce them.

I didn't say it would stop all fatalities, but it would reduce them.

You see quite well informed. Can you let us know why this is not done? As it does seem like a no brainer.

Would it? 90%+ of new drivers are in 1.0/1.1/1.2's as they can't insure anything else anyway, biggest car I know of a friend having at 17 was a 1.4 escort with a siezed engine which would just about make it to school before overheating!

Passenger numbers and a curfew would be good though, subconciously I always drive quicker with peers in the car and slower with my parents though?!

junior drivers clubs are a better bet – proper training inc skid pan for under 17's i went to one as did my sister… very helpful,

also in sound countries you are limited to a certain size of engine as a new driver

I can only imagine because of the political backlash, it would quite possibly be political suicide to introduce, unfortunately more people care about their 'right' to drive than road safety!

Road safety is a real taboo subject, look at the amount of money often invested to save a few lives, road death tolls are pretty massive!

If you are serious about reducing road casualties then much could be done
mandatory retesting every 5 years – done in some countries
Much harder driving tests including motorway driving
Random breathalyser stops.
Much tougher enforcement of driving laws

I think anyone who is an idiot shouldn’t be allowed to drive, that would solve the problem.

Yup. Six points should be a ban, rather than 12.

Mike – I think a combination of restrictions on passengers

I did this voluntarily with my son and daughter. Until they'd driven for 4 months solo I banned them from taking friends. Break the rule and I would take them off my insurance (NB I'm the main driver). I'd read too many news stories of fatal crashes involving a car full of teenagers. They've enough to concentrate on after passing the test without distractions from back seat passengers.

And I booked them both on skid pan courses too.