To kick off the New Year, the Department for Transport (DOT) has set up consultations to source opinions and views on a range of planned policies. For learner drivers, the most relevant is the consultation on a minimum learning period (MLP) between passing your theory test and taking your practical driving test.
The consultation will look at a mandatory learning period of three or six months before you are allowed to take your driving test. The reason? Road safety – according to official data, a fifth of all serious injuries or death are caused by drivers aged between 17 and 24.
Extending the learning period by up to six months, “would provide a more structured and supportive pathway, allowing learners to gain essential experience before driving independently,” says Lilian Greenwood MP and Minister for Local Transport.
Planning the change
The DoT has put forward a series of policy measures that could be used in combination to deliver safer drivers. According to the department, these include:
- Minimum time learning period, which outlines a minimum number of months that learners must be in the learner stage
- Minimum number of supervised hours, which outlines a minimum number of required supervised practical driving hours
- Logbook to record learning
- Structured learning syllabus, which mandates requirements for learners to have practical experience learning to drive in a range of different circumstances.
Common practice
While the policy represents a significant potential change to the driving test for the UK, MLPs are common practice in other countries – often deployed in conjunction with minimum supervised hours. For instance:
- Victoria in Australia requires individuals under 21 to hold their learner permit for at least 12 months, while those 21 to under 25 must hold it for at least six months, and those 25 and older need to hold it for a minimum of three months.
- New York and California in the USA require a six-month period for those under 18.
- Ontario, Canada requires 12 months, reduced to eight months if an education course is completed.
Evidence shows that the approach reduces collision rates. For example, in the USA, states that introduced a minimum time learning experienced a 7% reduction in 16- and 17-year-old driver fatal collision rates. Data also suggests that MLP also improve pass rates – in Queensland, Australia, introducing minimum supervised hours saw a 7% increase in pass rates.
“The introduction of a minimum learning period will work in conjunction with the existing post-test restriction to provide a structured system for young and novice drivers as they start their journey to becoming safe and responsible drivers for life.”
• Department of Transport
Big changes ahead
The MLP consultation is just one of many policies being put forward by the government. Others include:
- Lowering the drink drive limit
- Making the non-use of a seatbelt an endorsable offence
- Introducing mandatory eyesight testing for older drivers.
Other changes that are confirmed or have recently been introduced include:
- Reducing the number of emergency stops during the test
- Focusing more on rural routes and faster-moving roads in the independent driving segment
- Introducing new health-related questions into the theory test.
Get involved
The MLP consultation period kicked off on 7 January and will run until the 31 March 2026. The consultation itself is made up of 15 questions and you can access further details here.
“Your views will help shape one of the most significant reforms to the learning-to-drive journey and licensing since its conception, ensuring that young and novice drivers are not only prepared for the test, but for the realities of driving safely every day.”
• Lilian Greenwood MP and Minister for Local Transport
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