Northern Ireland to introduce strict restrictions on young drivers to tackle crash rates
Northern Ireland will become the first part of the UK to introduce additional restrictions on new drivers with graduated licences designed to curb serious crash rates.
It will see newly qualified motorists under the age of 24 face a six-month period of restricted driving at night, an age limit on passengers who can travel in their cars and a host of other rules.
Graduated driver licensing (GDL) is set to become law in the country from 1 October and has been described by Stormont's Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins as the 'most significant reform to driver licensing and testing in almost 70 years'.
The aim of GDL - which is already in place in other countries including New Zealand - is to reduce the disproportionate involvement of new and young drivers in serious collisions.
While many road safety groups have backed a UK-wide introduction, GDL has been rejected by ministers.
The last time they were debated in Parliament was 2024.
However, in January 2025, future of roads minister Lilian Greenwood told MPs that the Government would focus on cutting the number of deaths for drivers aged under 24 years of age without GDL.
Northern Ireland will become the first part of the UK to introduce additional restrictions on new drivers with graduated licences coming in October to curb crash rates involving young motorists
Northern Ireland's GDL proposal includes a mandatory minimum learning period of six months before a learner driver can undertake their practical driving test.
A programme of training must also be completed and recorded in a logbook before a learner driver can sit the test.
Once a motorist has passed, they will need to display an 'R' plate for 24 months, up from 12 months currently.
The plate - with a red R on a white background - stands for 'restricted' driver and must be displayed both on the front and rear of the vehicle. Those with an R plate are limited to speeds of 45mph, even if a fully qualified driver is in the car with them.
There too will be a period of six months where night-time driving restrictions are in place for those under the age of 24 as well as age-related night-time passenger restrictions, with exemption only for immediate family members.
The move comes after official statistics show that younger motorists were involved in a quarter of all crashes resulting in fatalities or serious injuries in the country. This is despite the 17 to 24 age group representing just 8 per cent of licence holders in Northern Ireland.
New licence holders will face a six month period of night-time driving restrictions as well as age-related night-time passenger limitations, with exemption only for immediate family members. They too will have to display an 'R' plate - for restricted driver - for a further 12 months
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Ms Kimmins said: 'I am announcing the most significant reform to driver licensing and testing in almost 70 years.
'These changes are aimed at young drivers who are sadly most likely to be killed or seriously injured on our roads.
'In 2024, there were 164 casualties (killed or seriously injured) from collisions where a car driver aged 17 to 23 was responsible.
'This age group of drivers accounts for 24 per cent of fatal or serious collisions despite holding just 8 per cent of licences.'
Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins said GDL represented the 'most significant reform to driver licensing and testing in 70 years'
The minister said the objective was to create drivers who are safe.
She added: 'The introduction of GDL plans to achieve this through a structured approach to learning to drive, including the completion of a programme of training and logbook.
'This will better prepare drivers for both the driving test and initial post-test driving period by helping learners understand how human factors such as their attitude, personality, behaviour and feelings affect their driving style.
'Road safety is a priority, and GDL will be a valuable tool to help me ensure everyone who uses our roads does so safely.'
Will we see graduated driver licensing in the rest of the UK?
GDL has been backed for years by various road safety organisations - and both the AA and RAC - with their success in reducing collisions among new drivers in other countries like Australia and Canada used as evidence to support their introduction in Britain.
For example, there's been a 23 per cent reduction in car collision injuries for 15 to 19-year-olds since GDL was introduced in New Zealand - and a 12 per cent reduction for 20 to 24-year-olds in the country.
The plate - with a red R on a white background - must be displayed both on the front and rear of the vehicle in Northern Ireland for the first 12 months after a driver passes their test. Those with an R plate are limited to speeds of 45mph, even if a fully qualified driver is in the car with them. The introduction of GDL means these rules will apply for 24 months from October
In May 2024, a Graduate Driving Licence bill was introduced in Parliament by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater having gained cross-party support in the House of Commons.
However, the bill was rejected in early 2025 following Parliamentary debate.
Lilian Greenwood said last January: 'Although the two-year probation period for new drivers was introduced in 1995, young drivers, especially men aged 17 to 24, continue to be among the highest-risk groups for fatalities, both as drivers and passengers, considering the population size and miles driven.
'While recent statistics show an 80 per cent decrease in the number of young drivers killed on our roads since 1990, we cannot afford to be complacent – 90 deaths, the figure for 2023, is still 90 too many.'
However, the transport minister rejected the idea of altering the driving licence system for younger drivers, opting instead for an alternative approach.
'While we are not considering graduated driving licences,' she explained.
'We fully acknowledge that young people are disproportionately affected by tragic accidents on our roads.
'That's why we're exploring ways to address the underlying causes of this, without unfairly penalising young drivers.
'This Government is committed to ensuring young people have access to employment, education, and other opportunities, while also keeping them safe on the roads.'
