Learner Drivers Can Now Take To The Motorway

Learner drivers of the UK rejoice: your first taste of motorway driving will no longer have to be a buttock-clenching post-test experience. Thanks to a change in the law, drivers on a provisional license will be allowed to take to UK motorways, so long as they are with an approved instructor and using a car with dual controls

Doesn’t that sound more appealing? A recent AA survey found that eight per cent of new drivers put off their first motorway drive for six months, while 27 per cent of the 20,000 people polled admitted they found popping their highway cherry a frightening experience.

The test isn’t changing to accommodate a new motorway section - the law is merely about getting new drivers more comfortable with this initially stressful driving situation. Road safety minister Jesse Norman had the following to say about the change:

“Britain’s roads are among the safest in the world, but road collisions remain the second biggest killer of young people…Allowing learner drivers to have motorway lessons with a qualified road safety expert will help more young drivers to gain the skills and experience they need to drive safely on motorways.”

And just think, it could mean there’ll be a new generation of drivers who actually understand how lane discipline works…