Learner drivers on motorways is something that has been debated for years. The change in the law will come into effect later on in 2012 and will help to solve the problem of recently passed pupils driving on 70mph roads without any training.
Under the plans announced by the Road Safety Minister, Mike Penning, it will be become possible for learners to undergo motorway training if accompanied by a qualified driving instructor.
The minister gave as an example his own daughter who within minutes of passing her driving test could have driven straight onto the motorway if she desired.
The change in the law will not be compulsory due to the fact that some learners live in remote areas and will find it impractical to drive to a motorway for training.
According to the Department for Transport 82 drivers aged under 21 were killed in motorway crashes between in the last four years.
Concerns are expressed that we are teaching youngsters how to pass a driving test and not really preparing them for a lifetime spent behind a wheel.
Mike Penning is responsible for banning the publishing of test routes and answers to theory questions. Pupils are now being asked to think more for themselves.
In a further change the Minister wants to ban trainee instructors from giving tuition to learners unless they themselves are being supervised. Many pupils have no idea that their instructor may in fact be a trainee.
Mr Penning said he wanted to stop trainees from teaching learners until they are fully qualified. Many of those trainees never make the grade and never become qualified and yet we entrust them to teach learner drivers.
The new initiatives have been welcomed. However it will be interesting to see the details of how this will come into effect. Many learners express the fact that the thought of driving on the motorway scares them and that instruction from a fully qualified instructor would help.
The plans have also been endorsed by the Institute of Advanced Motorists who believe that motorway tuition is essential.
Motorways are in fact our safest roads. However without proper training and supervision they can be lethal.