New young drivers could be banned from giving their friends a lift

Roads minister to meet with campaigners on 16 May to discuss scheme previously rejected as unworkable

Campaigners are calling for new young drivers to be banned from carrying passengers aged under 25 (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The government will consider calls to ban new drivers under the age of 25 from carrying young passengers as part of a “graduated driving licence” scheme.

One in five drivers crash within a year of passing their test, according to road safety charity Brake, whose figures suggest that new drivers carrying passengers of a similar age are four times as likely to die in a crash than those driving alone.

As a result, countries including Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden and some US states have brought in graduated licensing schemes for those who have only recently passed their test, which can include lower alcohol limits, and restrictions on driving at night or with other passengers under a certain age.