26 October 2010

David Stewart : To ask the Scottish Executive what it considers the benefits would be of a graduated driving licence scheme for young drivers in Scotland.

Stewart Stevenson: The legislation for graduated licensing is reserved but in our reply to the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) consultation on learning to drive in 2008, we highlighted that there is strong support for regulated driving for new drivers amongst the road safety community and that the DSA should actively consider the effectiveness of restrictions on new drivers. Our response also advocated a more structured lifelong learning approach to driving and the importance of post-test training and qualifications.To assist with the gathering of supporting evidence for a graduated licence scheme, Transport Scotland is in the final stages of awarding a contract to facilitate a national debate on young driver issues. At the end of the process we will be better placed to consider the implications the introduction of a graduated driving licensing scheme could have for newly qualified and inexperienced drivers in Scotland.

David Stewart : To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has undertaken to reduce the number of young driver deaths between 9 pm and 6 am.

Stewart Stevenson: Scotland’s Road Safety Framework to 2020, published in June 2009, identifies drivers aged 17 to 25 as a priority area for the Scottish Government and its partners. The framework sets out a number of commitments to address young driver safety one of which is a commitment to conduct a public debate on young driver issues, including graduated licences the legislation for which is reserved to the UK Government.Transport Scotland is in the final stages of awarding a contract to facilitate the debate. At the end of the process we will be better placed to consider what further measures could be undertaken to reduce the number of fatalities and casualties among young drivers.

David Stewart : To ask the Scottish Executive what initiatives are in place to deter young people from driving between 9 pm and 6 am.

Stewart Stevenson: Through Road Safety Scotland, the Scottish Government has produced a number of road safety education resources and publicity initiatives which refer to the implications relating to driving at night. These include, Crash Magnets, a resource for young people aged 14 to 18; Learning to Drive, an information booklet for parents and teenagers; and Just One Distraction, an integrated marketing campaign. The legislation for introducing restrictions on night time driving is reserved but, in our response to the Driving Standards Agency consultation in 2008, we highlighted that there is strong support amongst the road safety community in Scotland for regulated driving for new drivers.Transport Scotland is in the final stages of awarding a contract to facilitate a national debate on young drivers issues. At the end of the process we will be better placed to consider what future initiatives, related to night time driving, may be required.

David Stewart : To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to involve young people directly in motor accident and collision prevention.

Stewart Stevenson: Scotland’s Road Safety Framework to 2020, published in June 2009, contains a number of commitments which we shall deliver in partnership with internal colleagues and external stakeholders to address the needs of children and young people and drivers aged 17-25.

These include continued funding for Road Safety Scotland to develop far-reaching road safety educational resources; continuing to support the use of school travel plans fully involving the local community; and looking for innovative ways to target young drivers with appropriate messages about safe driving.

In late summer 2010, we also intend to conduct a national public debate with young drivers, their parents and guardians and representative groups in order to explore with them the road safety issues for young and newly qualified drivers and potential solutions.

A representative from the Scottish Youth Parliament also sits on our Road Safety Strategic Partnership Board which was established to govern the delivery of the commitments in the road safety framework.

David Stewart : To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to make representations to the UK Government to review the standard driving test given the impact on road safety in Scotland and whether it will request the inclusion of night driving.

Stewart Stevenson: We have no plans at present to make representations to the UK Government to review the standard driving test.

The Driving Standards Agency conducted a consultation exercise in 2008 asking for views on overhauling the Driver Training and Testing Regime, for which they are responsible, including a proposal to include additional steps prior to fully qualifying as a driver.

We provided a full response to that consultation including asking for elements of Pass Plus to be included in the training regime pre-test. We believe that the Driving Standards Agency are currently reviewing Pass Plus in light of contributions to the consultation.

David Stewart : To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to make representations to the UK Government to suggest that it consider setting a limit to the engine size of cars that young drivers can legally drive.

Stewart Stevenson: We have no plans at present to make representations to the UK Government to suggest that it considers setting a limit to the engine size of cars that young drivers can legally drive.

In late summer 2010, we intend to conduct a national public debate with young drivers, their parents and guardians and representative groups in order to explore the issues and potential solutions on road safety for young and newly qualified drivers and shall await its outcome.

16 July 210

David Stewart: To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are plans for joint working between the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and police forces in referring young drivers who have committed road traffic offences to an approved referral scheme.

Kenny MacAskill: Young drivers are identified as a priority group in Scotland’s Road Safety Framework, published by the Government in June 2009.

The Government has already been involved in discussions with the Police and the Crown Office on the introduction of a pilot scheme in the Grampian Police Force area which would allow young drivers the opportunity to take additional training to address their unsafe driving behaviour as an alternative to prosecution.

The Government, Police and the Crown Office have also been working together for some years to deliver the Driver Improvement Scheme in Scotland.

Under this initiative, drivers who have been charged with careless driving may be offered the opportunity to attend additional training as an alternative to prosecution.

The scheme covers drivers of all ages and is available throughout Scotland including the islands.

Motions proposed by David Stewart promoting sensible driving

That the Parliament notes the research carried out by Dr Sarah Jones from Cardiff University in relation to the graduated driving licence scheme; notes in particular the research carried out in Scotland, which identified that, while road traffic collisions among older drivers were falling, those occurring among younger drivers remain unchanged; supports the view that, if such a scheme was introduced in Scotland, up to 22 lives per year on average could be saved from fatal collisions, with over 1,000 casualties being avoided; believes that up to £80 million could be saved every year with the introduction of a graduated driving licence scheme, and urges the Scottish Executive to work with the Department for Transport to implement a pilot scheme in the Highlands to evaluate whether this can help to reduce the deaths of young people on Scotland’s roads.

That the Parliament supports the website initiative being run in Wales called Deadly Mates, which is aimed at encouraging safer driving among young people; believes that, following several fatal road collisions involving young people in the Highlands, urgent action needs to be taken to reduce the deaths of young people on all of Scotland’s roads; supports the calls to introduce measures to ensure that young people drive more safely, including a mandatory display of a P-plate for 90 days after successful completion of a driving test, limiting the size of a car’s engine to be driven by people under 25 and introducing a graduated licence scheme that incorporates night driving, motorway driving and driving observation, and urges the Scottish Executive and the Department for Transport to work together to consider implementing these measures to ensure that no more young people are needlessly killed or seriously injured on Scotland’s roads.