Dear Party Leaders,
The progress in reducing road traffic deaths and serious injuries in the UK has stagnated since 2010. Annually, over 30,000 people are killed or seriously injured—a devastating toll equivalent to the population of a medium-sized town.
Since records began in 1926, more than 500,000 individuals have lost their lives in collisions on the UK’s roads. This figure exceeds the combined fatalities of all wars during that period by 125,000, resulting in profound societal and economic impacts.
The annual costs associated with these tragedies are approximately £43.5 billion, encompassing medical fees and lost productivity, as well as the immeasurable human cost.
We cannot accept that such a scale of death and serious injury is an inevitable consequence of road transport.
To address this urgent issue, RoadPeace, the national charity for road crash victims, strongly urges you to prioritise road danger reduction in your manifesto for this General Election.
To help you do this easily and effectively, the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety has coordinated a Road Safety Manifesto 2024, which now has the support of more than 80 UK road safety bodies and related organisations.
Read the Road Safety Manifesto 2024 here
Saving young lives
In particular, we draw your attention to Priority Three in the Manifesto – The Introduction of a Graduated Driving Licensing (GDL) System.
For decades, road casualty data has shown that young and inexperienced drivers, aged between 17 and 24, are at a far greater risk of being killed or injured in a road crash than any other age group. They are involved in 24% of all collisions resulting in death or serious injury in Great Britain, despite representing only 7% of the driving population.
In 2022, 4,935 people were killed or seriously injured in crashes in Great Britain involving at least one young driver. This figure includes victims of all ages, not just those traveling in a young person’s car.
For over 30 years, RoadPeace, the national charity for road crash victims, has supported countless families of young drivers and passengers killed in road crashes, who have endured unimaginable pain.
But we have an effective and proven solution to this tragic problem. We urge you to introduce a Graduated Driving Licensing system within the first 100 days of the next Parliament.
GDL could mean that young, novice drivers are unable to carry peer-aged passengers and are unable to drive between midnight and 4:00 am, for the first six months after passing their test, providing far greater protection for young people.
Graduated Driving Licensing has been in place in countries such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand for years. As a result, there have been reductions of between 20% and 40% in crashes resulting in death and serious injury involving young drivers.
Earlier this year, RoadPeace supported the launch of the Forget-me-not Families Uniting group, which has now grown to include more than 110 bereaved parents, all campaigning for GDL.
The group was launched on BBC Breakfast television in April 2024 and was covered on the programme again this month.
The evidence is overwhelming. Introducing Graduated Driving Licensing will save the lives of thousands of young people and individuals of all ages, while also preventing countless injuries nationwide.
By endorsing our proposal, you will help spare future families from the heartbreak and suffering caused by avoidable deaths.
RoadPeace members and supporters are united in their support for the introduction of Graduated Driving Licensing. Many have already added their names in solidarity below.
Thank you for your attention to this critical issue.
Yours sincerely,