Learner drivers will be allowed on motorways.

[Gabsgrandad]

Learner drivers will be allowed on motorways from next year, the government has announced.
Road Safety Minister, Mike Penning, announced that learners will be able to have driving lessons on motorways in an attempt to cut the death toll among novice motorists.
Currently, learner drivers are not allowed on motorways but can use them as soon as they pass their test, without any training.
The radical changes to the current driving system were revealed at the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM's) annual conference.
This change will come into force from next year.

At least new drivers will be able to get some M-way experience under supervision, before they are "let loose".

 

[RogerL]

For learners to drive on motorways, it'll require to be accompanied by a Registered Driving Instructor though, not just a full licence holder.
As an aside, once you've passed your car test you can tow a large outfit exceeding the B only restrictions IF you're accompained by a B+E licence holder and L-plates are displayed - and can use motorways.

 

[Gabsgrandad]

Having re - read the article the implementation date will actually be 2012 and not next year.

 

[Willi-Wonti]

It sounds good if you live near a motorway, but if you live in remote areas such as north or mid Wales its a long trip to the motorway.
Not much thought gone into that one me thinks

 

[RogerL]

It sounds good if you live near a motorway, but if you live in remote areas such as north or mid Wales its a long trip to the motorway.
Not much thought gone into that one me thinks

It would be silly not to make the change - just because a few can't take advantage of it.

 

[Steve L]

To be quite honest even in mid wales you're not more than an hour or so away from the M50, M4 or M56 & M6.
I certainly welcome the news that learners will get a taste of motorway driving. While it will probably never be part of the test due to certain rural locations and the current length of the practical driving test.
I'm located on the edge of mid east wales and I had no hesitation in taking my daughter out for half a day of motorway driving so that she could gain some experiance before she went to Taunton to do her uni degree.
She travelled for three years between Taunton and Leominster twice or more a month and her journey meant she only did about 20% of the journey on rural roads, the rest was either dual carriageway or motorway.
She was most gratefull for her training on motorway driving and soon began to pick out the drivers who drove without any regard for their safety or other drivers safety.

I would like to see a part 3 test in place of pass plus. This would purely be a motorway driving test and I would also like to see a legal requirement for recent test passers to display P plates and be restricted to 1.4 or 1.6 litre vehicles. Currently you can pass your test at 10 am today in a 1 litre hatchback and by 11am you could be driving a ferrari down the motorway!

Mind boggling doesn't begin to describe the lack of keeping pace with change at the DSA.

 

[seth1]

Thats is right Steve,they did exactly the same thing for motorcyles with the 33bhp law for two years.This was a good idea.But if the test was good enough in the first place would they need a part 3?

 

[drsorento]

Steve absolutley no point in limiting the cc of the engine that new drivers can drive after passing there test it needs to be the bhp that needs limiting as even a 1000cc can be tuned to give high performance. Along with a limited bhp I agree they should display a P plate on the car.

 

[smiley]

Not wanting to tread on toes here so please don't stamp my feet.........

I took my son on m.way after his test mainly because his instructor told him the middle lane was the cruising lane.....
all that is required on the m/way is to drive in one direction, exit in the same direction always looking ahead. not rocket science. and when over taking look a few times to be aware of traffic INDIACATE what ones INTENTION is,,, and when safe pull out pass and pull back in.

unlike a lot of people who think they can pull out because they have indicated... when I took my test I was asked questions on m/way driving as well as other random questions luckily I did my homework and passed But a friend of mine didn't by answering a question wrong,,,,, they don't get asked that anymore, how many would pass if they also got asked questions at the end of their test???

How many would you pass seeing what people do on the roads, its not the speeds that is just the problems anymore.....