The reason that these measures could make the roads safer is illustrated by the fact that younger drivers have a higher rate of fatal accidents than any other group on the road. This is because they have a lack of experience, so they don’t always react as they should.

If you hold your provisional licence for a short period of time, or had very few lessons you’re not giving yourself time to experience a good range of situations and driving conditions. You may have never driven in heavy rain or at night. The more real-world experience you have the better prepared you’ll be.

A logbook can be a good way to ensure you’re filling gaps in your knowledge. By recording the amount of hours you could also record learning objectives to ensure you’ve had a range of experiences, from driving at night to a fast road or a country lane. This will help you to build more experience before you pass. A structured syllabus would also ensure that every learner covers all driving conditions, but it could be too restrictive for some people.

It’s a difficult balance, as no-one wants to restrict new drivers. Learning to drive is a really important milestone in most people’s lives. They gain independence and a sense of responsibility and freedom. Balance that with the need to make the roads a safer place for everyone. You might think the system has worked well without this why do we need it now? But with more and more cars on the roads it’s important to keep innovating for safety. Progress in safety is bringing fatalities down, which can always be a good thing.

You can read the full consultation and have your say on the gov.uk website but hurry you need to respond by 11 May 2026.