Driving licence changes to ban passengers and impose curfews gain support with MPs urged to act

WATCH: Road safety campaigner Crystal Owen on Graduated Driving Licences

GB NEWS
Felix Reeves

By Felix Reeves


Published: 04/04/2025

- 08:30

Updated: 04/04/2025

- 09:07

The petition received almost 104,000 signatures calling for new driving licence rules

Campaigners have called on the Government to consider introducing new driving licence measures to protect road users and boost road safety, following a petition which received more than 100,000 signatures.

Crystal Owen has campaigned for Graduated Driving Licences to be rolled out following the death of her son, Harvey, 17, and three of his friends in Wales two years ago.


The bereaved mother launched a petition calling for "safer driving licensing for newly qualified 17-19 year olds", which has since been signed by almost 104,000 people.

Owen has been one of the most vocal supporters of Graduated Driving Licences, saying this system could have saved the lives of her son and his friends.

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Driving licence and a man driving a car

Campaigners are calling for new driving licence changes to be introduced

PA/GETTY

She told the BBC that her campaign was about protecting young people, rather than punishing them, with the GDL putting certain restrictions on young drivers in the interest of road safety.

Potential measures as part of the system include banning young drivers from carrying same-age passengers in their cars for up to two years after they pass their test, as well as a curfew between the hours of 11pm and 5am.

Other suggestions include a minimum six-month learning period for learner drivers before they are eligible for a test. Breaking road rules could also see young people slapped with six penalty points, which would result in their licence being suspended.

Owen delivered the petition to Downing Street earlier this week alongside the mothers of five other car crash victims, namely Bridget Lucas, Alison Greenhouse, Joanne Alkir, Nicola Bell, and Naomi Crane.

One of the key proposals put forward by Crystal Owen includes "Harvey's Hammer", which would require all cars to be fitted with a tool that could smash open a window if a car is trapped.

Her son Harvey passed away after the car he was a passenger in came off a road in North Wales and ended up in a water-filled ditch where the four young men passed away.

The campaigner said she wanted to ensure young people can enjoy the freedom that comes with being able to drive, while also "addressing the risks associated with inexperience and impulsivity".

Proposals to introduce a Graduated Driving Licence scheme in the UK has received the backing of the MP for Shrewsbury Julia Buckley, the Automoible Association and the West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner.

The Department for Transport previously told GB News that it was not considering introducing any driving licence changes, despite the growing support for such measures.

Campaigners, like Owen and other bereaved families, will be hoping that the new petition will pressure Labour into adopting the new road safety measures.

Petitions which reach 100,000 signatures on the Government portal are considered for debate in Parliament. While this petition was on a separate website, there could be enough apetite for MPs to raise the issue in Parliament.

Former Transport Secretary Louise Haigh confirmed that a new Government-led road safety strategy would be launching this year, which would be the first guidance update in more than a decade.

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Crystal Owen, whose son Harvey Owen, 17, was one of four teenagers killed in a crash last year, said law changes need to be introducedCrystal Owen, whose son Harvey Owen, 17, was one of four teenagers killed in a crash last year, said law changes need to be introduced PA

A spokesperson for the Department for Transport told GB News: "Every death on our roads is a tragedy and our thoughts remain with the families of everyone who has lost a loved one in this way.

"Whilst we are not considering Graduated Driving Licences, we absolutely recognise that young people are disproportionately victims of tragic incidents on our roads, and we are exploring options to tackle the root causes of this without unfairly penalising young drivers."