Overview
- Drivers under 24 will be limited for six months to carrying only one passenger aged 14 to 20 between 11pm and 6am.
- Newly qualified motorists must display an R plate for two years instead of one.
- Learners will complete a Programme of Training and maintain a Logbook to build safer post‑test habits and address human factors.
- In 2024, 164 people were killed or seriously injured in crashes where a 17‑ to 23‑year‑old driver was responsible, and this group accounted for 24% of serious collisions despite holding about 8% of licences.
- Northern Ireland is set to be the first UK jurisdiction with a GDL system, prompting calls for similar powers in Scotland as the UK government favors longer learning periods over blanket restrictions.