Young drivers could have to wait an extra year to take their driving test under new Government proposals.
Teenagers could be prevented from taking their driving test until they are 18 under recommendations being considered by the Government.
Under the proposals, young drivers would have to be 17 before they could obtain a leaner permit and red L-plates which they would be required to retain for at least 12 months. During this time, they would need to prove that they had completed 100 daytime hours and 20 nighttime hours of supervised practice which would have to be recorded in a log book and shown to the examiner during the test.
And on top of this, for 12 months after passing their test, young drivers would be subject to a range of new restrictions, including a curfew from 10pm to 5am unless they were accompanied by an adult over 30, a ban on carrying any passengers under 30, stricter rules on using hands-free kits and a lower alcohol limit.
Only after the 12 month period expired would drivers then be given a full, unrestricted licence.
A spokesman for the Department of Transport said: "Young drivers drive around five per cent of all the miles driven in Britain, but are involved in about 20 per cent of the crashes where someone is killed or seriously injured.
"We are committed to improving safety for young drivers and reducing their insurance costs -- that is why we are publishing a Green Paper later in the year setting out our proposals."
The proposals have been welcomed by road safety charity Brake, with deputy chief executive Julie Townsend saying: "We wholeheartedly welcome this report, which is further recognition of the compelling case for graduated driver licensing.
"We urge the government to act swiftly and decisively by committing to a full system of graduated driver licensing, to help reduce the danger young drivers pose to themselves and others."
Although the proposals are still in the early stages, they are likely to be highly unpopular with the nation's teenagers, many of whom will be counting down the days until they can take their driving test and get that all-important piece of pink plastic.
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