Why Graduated Driver Licensing is being introduced in NI

Introduction

Young drivers have a significantly higher collision risk than more experienced motorists and are disproportionately represented in fatal road traffic collisions.

In 2024:

• drivers aged 17 to 23 were responsible for 24 per cent of all fatal or serious injury collisions in Northern Ireland despite holding only eight per cent of driving licences
• there were 164 people killed or seriously injured in collisions where a car driver aged 17 to 23 years was deemed responsible
• there were 12 people killed or seriously injured in collisions where a motor cyclist aged 17 to 23 was deemed responsible

Graduated Driving Licensing (GDL) aims to address this by introducing a structured, phased approach to learning and driving independently. 

The scheme is designed to help learners gain experience gradually while reducing exposure to higher-risk situations.

GDLs aims and objectives 

The primary aim of GDL is to reduce fatal road traffic collisions and serious injuries among young drivers, motorcyclists and other road users. 

Its objectives are to:

• develop safer and more responsible drivers
• improve the quality of driver training and learning
• provide more supervised driving experience before testing
• reduce exposure to the highest-risk driving situations during the early stages of independent driving
• encourage lifelong safe driving habits and attitudes

Key risk factors for young drivers

Analysis of collision data in Northern Ireland highlights several factors that increase risk among young drivers:

• excessive speed is the most common cause of serious collisions involving young drivers
• young drivers are over-represented in collisions occurring at night 
• young passengers are particularly vulnerable when travelling with young drivers, especially during weekends and late-night journeys
• inexperience can affect hazard perception, risk assessment and decision-making in challenging driving conditions