Northern Ireland is set to become the first part of the UK to introduce graduated driving licenses for learner drivers. This is in an effort to cut down on the number of fatal crashes that involve young people.
The changes, due to be introduced in October 2026, will mean that Northern Ireland will adopt a scheme similar to that seen in Australia and the Republic of Ireland. They will be aimed at 17-23-year-old drivers. Graduated driving licenses are “aimed at young drivers who are sadly most likely to be killed or seriously injured on our roads,” Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins said.
These include a six-month waiting period for learners before taking their practical, giving them more time for lessons and supervised experience behind the wheel. They also include restrictions on passenger numbers and night-time driving.
Under the new graduated driving licenses scheme, new drivers will face a number of restrictions. These include the need to complete 14 modules in a training programme which an approved instructor or supervising driver must sign off on. They will also see an increase in the restriction period to display R plates after passing their test, from 12 to 24 months, with a different colour plate for a driver in the first six months.
For the first six months after passing their test, new drivers under the age of 24 can only carry one passenger between 14 and 20 in their car between 11pm and 6am, though this does not include immediate family members or anyone aged 21 or over who has held a license for at least three years.
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