Figures released today by Pendle MP, Gordon Prentice, show that hundreds of young people are being killed in car accidents every year where the driver was 21 or under.

Speaking from Westminster, the MP said: "These truly shocking statistics cry out for action. Young men under 21 are particularly dangerous behind the wheel. On average, there are six times as many young male drivers killed as young women."

The Government this week issued a consultation paper: "Learning to Drive" which invites comments by September.

The MP remarked: "Unfortunately the Government has taken a wrong turning on this one. The Government is right to propose steps to improve the learning and testing process but wrong to rule out conditional or graduated licences which would put restrictions on what a learner driver could do until he or she passed the final test of competence."

Newly qualified drivers could be subjected to restrictions such as a prohibition on driving between certain times at night; a prohibition on carrying passengers and complying with a lower maximum level of blood alcohol.

The MP added: "In Pendle and elsewhere in East Lancashire I often drive past places where young people have died in a car crash. Years later, I still remember the news stories about these terrible tragedies.


Note to Editors: Transport Minister, Jim Fitzpatrick, gave the following information to the Pendle MP.
The number of (a) male and (b) female car occupant fatalities in reported road accidents in 2000 to 2006 where the driver was (i) male and (ii) female and aged 21 years or under are shown in the table.

Number of fatalities
21-year-old and under male car driver
Year Male Female
2000 312 63
2001 354 64
2002 332 64
2003 373 59
2004 349 64
2005 365 71
2006 375 61

21-year-old and under female car driver

Year Male Female
2000 18 42
2001 24 50
2002 18 52
2003 17 41
2004 21 48
2005 19 63
2006 21 61