Know the limits, young drivers warned

Young drivers are being warned they will have their licences revoked if they receive six penalty points within two years of passing their test.

Last year 20,000 new drivers in the UK had their licences revoked under the provisions of the New Drivers Act, which are designed to encourage inexperienced drivers to take special care while gaining experience on the road.

Working in partnership with Strathclyde Safety Camera Partnership, South Lanarkshire Council's Road Safety Team recently visited Larkhall Academy to inform senior pupils about the need to drive with care after they pass their test or face the prospect of having to start all over again.

Pupils were shown a 40-second commercial made by the SSCP which highlights the consequences for young drivers. The DVD will now be made available at schools throughout South Lanarkshire. It shows a newly-qualified driver being forced to sell his car after losing his licence.

If a driver receives six points for offences like speeding or using hand-held mobile phones within two years of passing their first driving test, their licence will be revoked and they will have to re-sit both the theory test and the practical driving test to get back on the road again.

Chair of South Lanarkshire Council's Road Safety Forum, Councillor John Murray, said: "It is all about road safety and it's a valuable lesson. Statistics show that drivers are most at risk of being involved in a crash during the period after passing their test when they have the basic skills but not yet gained the road sense that only comes from many hours behind the wheel.  

"Young drivers are particularly prone to being in crashes involving excessive speed so it's important that we educate young drivers to understand that speeding not only risks lives on the road but also risks their hard-won licences.    

"Speed limits are there for the safety of all road users and sticking to these limits helps everyone travel in a much safer fashion and avoids unnecessary penalties.

"The DVD by the SSCP carries a hard-hitting message which I have no doubt will have an impact on young people who have recently passed their driving test.

"Equally, I am sure it will have just as big an impact on the thousands of young people who are looking forward to taking their first driving lessons in the near future."

Neil Macgillivray of the Safety Camera Partnership said: "Young drivers are often tempted to speed when their friends are in the car so it is important that passengers also heed the message to be responsible and not be egging the driver on to take risks."