Road safety experts have come together to offer new guidance for young drivers to ensure they are safe when getting behind the wheel for the first time.
New resources have been created by experts to support young drivers while they learn how to operate a vehicle and acclimatise to real-world conditions.
IAM RoadSmart, the RAC, the RAC Foundation and behavioural scientist Dr Elizabeth Box have created a range of downloadable resources to help young people.
Data shows that young people between 17 and 24 were involved in almost one-quarter of fatal and serious collisions in 2024, despite accounting for just six per cent of licence holders.
Similarly, young male drivers are especially vulnerable, with those between 17 and 24 being four times as likely to be killed or seriously injured compared with drivers over 25.
Research from Dr Elizabeth Box and the RAC Foundation found international evidence showing that parents play a crucial role in creating a safe driver.
The report showed how parents influence young motorists through supervision, vehicle access decisions, communication and "relational dynamics".
Road safety experts have emphasised the importance of parents and guardians to young drivers, especially when developing safety awareness.
Road safety experts have launched new resources to help families aid novice drivers
|GETTY
The resources focus on practical guidance for supervised practice, including encouraging safer habits and becoming more effective driving coaches.
Practice to Pass scorecards will also be available, which feature instructor-informed checklists designed to help learners build a range of driving skills.
Commenting on the new resources, Nicholas Lyes, director of policy and communications at IAM RoadSmart, said experts felt "compelled" to establish optional tools to benefit safety.
"The evidence shows parental engagement can have a positive impact on the learning and safety of new drivers, so we’re delighted to be able to launch these new supporting materials with other road safety advocates which we believe can help reduce the number of young drivers involved in serious collisions," he added.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
The Road Safety Strategy suggested introducing a three or six-month mandatory learning period
| PAAt the start of the year, Labour announced the new Road Safety Strategy, which focuses on introducing key measures to slash the number of fatalities and serious injuries on the UK's road network.
This involved the launch of a consultation, which suggested introducing a minimum learning period for young people of three or six months.
By 2035, the Government is aiming for a 65 per cent reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured on roads across Great Britain based on a 2022-2024 baseline.
A further stretch target of 70 per cent has also been outlined to reduce the number of children under 16 killed or seriously injured on roads.
Young people are disproportionately involved in car accidents compared to other age groups
| GETTYDr Elizabeth Box, director of ECM Research Solutions, said: "International evidence shows that parents and guardians play a hugely important role in shaping early driving habits and behaviours, both during learning and after a test has been passed.
"Yet many families in the UK currently receive very little practical guidance on how to support young drivers through supervised practice and the early months of solo driving."
The expert acknowledged that information alone would not completely remove obstacles facing novice drivers, but it was "an important first step".
Dr Box added that she hoped the resources would make families feel more confident and result in constructive conversations about safety.