---

Road Safety Bill [HL]

moved Amendment No. 14:"After Clause 36, insert the following new clause—" ““IDENTIFICATION OF VEHICLES DRIVEN BY NEW DRIVERS: PILOT SCHEME (1)   The Secretary of State may by order establish a pilot scheme to test the effects on— (a)   road safety, and (b)   the incidence of road traffic offences, of identifying new drivers by means of a distinguishing mark on vehicles driven by them. (2)   In this section, a ““new driver”” means a driver who has just passed the driving test. (3)   An order under this section may specify, in respect of a pilot scheme— (a)   the new drivers to whom the scheme will apply, (b)   the duration of the scheme, (c)   the size, nature, position and colour of the distinguishing mark to be placed on vehicles driven by new drivers to whom the scheme applies. (4)   Following the pilot scheme, the Secretary of State shall submit a report to Parliament on the effect of the scheme on accident rates and the incidence of road traffic offences among the group of new drivers to whom the scheme applied, as compared to control groups of new drivers to whom the scheme did not apply.”” The noble Baroness said: My Lords, there is little that I can say on this subject that I have not already said at previous stages of the Bill. However, the amendment differs from my previous amendments in that I have taken away everything that the Minister could possibly object to, and have now left him with a totally free option as to what he would want to do with his pilot. It is simply giving powers to the department to introduce a pilot as and when it wishes to. There is no obligation whatever to have a pilot if it does not wish to, so I cannot see why this would not be a positive addition to the Bill. It might prove enormously useful. It is terribly difficult to establish what is right or wrong. We know that young drivers have these high figures of dangerous driving. We also know that it is not only young people, it is new drivers. They might be older drivers. They might feel insecure when they go out. None of us knows the specific statistics, however, because the answer is always that there has never been any real assessment or pilot. If the day came when we really wanted to make an assessment, we should have the opportunity to have a pilot. I really cannot see what the Minister could object to, but no doubt he will find something. I beg to move.