An advertising campaign to raise awareness of the biggest change
to driver licensing and testing in 70 years has been launched by
the Infrastructure Minister .
Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) is a road safety scheme
designed to reduce the disproportionate involvement of new
primarily young drivers in fatal and serious road traffic
collisions.
The multi-media campaign will use TV, digital, bus and on street
advertising to get new drivers Road Ready' from 1 October 2026.
Minister Kimmins said: From 1 October this year, I am introducing
the most significant change to driver licensing and testing since
the 1950s aimed at young drivers who are sadly most likely to be
killed or seriously injured on our roads. The advertising
campaign has been developed to highlight the changes coming in
from 1 October 2026 to the way people learn to drive. It
raises awareness of the change and sign-posts the public to
nidirect where they can get more detailed information about
the changes. The campaign will air from 17 August 2026. A
Road Ready' brand has been developed as part of the
campaign.
The fundamental goal of learning to drive and the licensing
process is to create drivers and motorcyclists who are safe, and
not just technically competent. 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 of the utmost importance to me. I will
continue to do all that I can to make our roads safer. Sadly in
2024, there were 164 casualties (killed or seriously injured)
from collisions where a car driver aged 17-23 was responsible.
This age group of drivers account for 24% of fatal or serious
collisions despite holding just 8% of licences.
Link to the Road Ready' advert: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPRL4cGq0Os&feature=youtu.be
Notes to editors:
- Information about Graduated Driver Licensing coming into
operation from 1 October 2026 is available on
nidirect: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/campaigns/graduated-driver-licensing
- GDL will include:
- A mandatory minimum learning period of six months before a
learner driver can undertake their practical driving test.
- A programme of training that details the learning required to
become a safe driver, and which must be completed and recorded in
a logbook before a learner driver can undertake their practical
driving test.
- An increase in the restriction period from the current 12
months to 24 months requiring new drivers to display a
distinguishing mark (plate) on the vehicle for two years after
receiving a full licence.
- A period of six months with nighttime driving restrictions
for new drivers under 24.
- Age related nighttime passenger restrictions for newly
qualified drivers, with exemption for immediate family members.
- GDL permits L' drivers to drive on a motorway as long as they
are accompanied by an Approved Driving Instructor. Once the
learner passes their test, they will be issued with the new R'
plate which also allows them to drive on a motorway, where they
can drive up to the posted speed limit.
- A new revision of the Highway Code (the Code) is being
introduced to consolidate the changes being introduced by
GDL. This will incorporate the new rules for learning to
drive and for newly qualified drivers.
