"l" Drivers

[TWR]

8am BBC News, are going to be allowed on the UK Motorways! Is this safe?

[donny48]

TWR, With no motorway experience then a newly qualified driver must present similar hazards, on ordinary roads a lorry driver must also come up against "L" drivers constantly. If a qualified driving instructor thinks someone in a dual control car is capable then it is probably a lot safer that some of the outrageous behavior that I see from non-learners every day.

[TWR]

A qualified driver will have had a "few" lessons Naomi before passing the test, a L will still be Learning until that person passes.

[ummmm]

Motorway driving is easy.

[TWR]

The speed & reaction time is the difference Donny.

[melv16]

Judging what I saw yesterday while I was driving back from Surry on the M1 in thick fog. I think so called experienced drivers could do with some lessons. Doing 80mph in the outside lane with no lights and tailgating is not very intelligent!

[1ozzy]

Learner drivers should undergo instruction in all facets of driving whilst they have a competent instructor next to them. It's not ideal for them to only prove they can drive at low speed, maneuver and park then be released on the roads to figure out the rest by trial and error.

[naomi24]

TWR, so a learner passes his test in the morning and drives on a motorway in the afternoon - and you trust him to drive safely just because he passed his test that morning? I don't.

[TWR]

That's why there's lots of pile ups Ummmm,

[Gromit]

The day I passed my driving test, I had a lesson booked immediately afterwards and we went directly to the motorway and practiced on there. I had a couple more lessons after I had passed my test, practising driving on the motorway, it it was a very sensible thing to do.

The proposal to allow learner drivers on motorways is a good idea. It fact it is daft at present to issue a driving licence to someone who has never driven on a motorway.

[TWR]

Naomi, there'e enough pile up's on the Motorways with Qualified drivers, so do you think it's a good Idea to let a L not a Qualified driver on?

[ummmm]

Some people just drive like idiots.

[Islay]

within a week of passing my driving test , I drove to Scotland from just outside London, I was 17 and my father saw it as a survival test.

Best thing he ever did!

TWR the learner drivers will be in dual controlled cars - did you read that bit?

[naomi24]

TWR, a new licence qualifies someone to drive on a motorway but they still have no experience of motorway driving. Can you not see that?

[TWR]

Of course I can see that, what I am saying is, a person can have a few lessons, gain some experience, a newly L Driver has not.

[naomi24]

TWR, but that's exactly the point everyone here is making. A learner driver who is deemed ready to take his test should have a few lessons on the motorway to gain some experience.

[rockyracoon]

My son passed his test back in October. We told him he wasn't to drive on the motorway until he had done a Pass Plus course with his driving instructor. He did this a few weeks ago and it gave him a lot of confidence where motorways are concerned, and evaporated many fears that he hadabout it. Motorway safety and general regard for how to drive on motorways was covered.

If the driving instructor deems a student advanced enough to do the above before they have passed their test, then it can only be a good thing.

[Gromit]

A learner driver under proper supervision from a qualified instructor, in a dual control car should not be a risk. Before test they can practise on roads at the national speed limit which is the same as a motorway. The instructor would be in the car with them, so they would not put themselves in danger by taking a poor driver on a motorway.
I do not know if an arbitary number of driving hours could be put on it? Like, it could only be considered only if the learner had completed 25 hour lessons, and then it was not compulsary (for the instructor to allow it).

[HansUrbancka]

Although unable to go onto a Motorway as an L plated driver, I regularly went onto Dual Carriageways with my Instructor and she soon had me driving safely and overtaking at 60 mph.

Hans.

[Old_Geezer]

It would be better to have two tests. One permits the driver to drive on normal roads: then once they've gained experience/confidence driving for a few months they could take further lessons to gain confidence/ability at the higher motorway speeds.

New drivers should be wary about rushing into the motorway immediately after passing their test anyway. I'd hope most would have the sense not to.

[Gromit]

While we are on the idea of two tests, maybe there should be a second test for elderly drivers (say over 65) to check their driving is still adequate. There are numerous instances of old drivings driving the wrong way down motorways/dual carriageways, because they have become 'confused'.