The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has called for learners to be allowed onto motorways as part of instructors’ insurance schemes.
Currently provisional licence holders are not allowed onto the UK’s large highway system and are banned from a number of dual carriageways and large A roads.
A green paper is to be sent to parliament later this month on the topic of road safety and the IAM says that it should recommend learner drivers be allowed onto high-speed limit roads so they can get more relevant experience before they pass their tests.
Additionally, the lack of any formal training for the vast majority of current car users on motorways in the UK today means that bad habits quickly creep into people’s steering, braking and acceleration techniques.
IAM chief executive Simon Best said: “Human error is the main contributory factor in 71 per cent of injury crashes on motorways and surveys suggest drivers often lack confidence on [motorways].”
Many countries, including Australia and the US, already allow their student motorists on to highways and this means they are more prepared when they get a full licence and insurance.