Calls for graduate driving licences in England after Northern Ireland brings in stricter road rules
A Ramsgate mum campaigns for safer driving measures after losing her son
Last updated 28th Jan 2026
Driving rules in Northern Ireland are becoming stricter for younger drivers with the introduction of the UK's first graduated driving licence (GDL).
The scheme, in effect from October, introduces measures designed to reduce road dangers, including limits on the number of passengers drivers under 24 can carry and restrictions on night-time driving during the first six months after passing their test.
Ramsgate mum Keena Entwistle has been campaigning for GDLs throughout the UK after tragically losing her 18-year-old son Ethan in a high-speed crash in 2023 while he was a passenger in a car.
She says she's encouraged by Northern Ireland's progress and hopes it will inspire action in England too.
Speaking to Greatest Hits and Hits Radio, Keena said: "I'm really pleased Northern Ireland are introducing graduated driving licences, but the rest of the UK needs to follow suit. It's not just young people in Northern Ireland that we need to protect; we need to protect all young people. Hopefully Northern Ireland will prove to our government that GDL does work."
Keena added that the timing was particularly significant for her: "Knowing that GDL in Northern Ireland is starting on Ethan's Angel Anniversary, it's something I'm really, really pleased for the young people of Northern Ireland."
How the Northern Ireland GDL works
The graduated driving licence scheme has been introduced in other countries, including the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. In Northern Ireland, it comes with lower alcohol limits for new drivers, restrictions on passengers, and stricter rules for night-time driving.
Road safety expert and retired police officer Rob Heard has explained how the scheme aims to tackle young drivers' higher risk levels on the roads.
"The system recognises that new drivers have a higher risk on our roads," Rob said, explaining that the GDL works as a staged process. New drivers will progress from learner drivers under strict supervision to an intermediate phase with limits such as driving time curfews and reduced alcohol limits.
Once drivers pass the GDL intermediate stage, which could last up to 24 months, full driving privileges are restored.
Rob believes these measures are vital: "Graduated driving licences have been linked to 20%–40% reductions in crash risk in countries that have implemented them," he said. "It is something that has been proven to work."
Future hopes for England
Despite success in other countries, the UK government's current road safety strategy does not include plans for graduated driving licences. Officials reportedly fear the restrictions could limit young people's independence, particularly for work purposes.
Rob disagrees with this view, arguing that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks: "If these graduated driving licence regulations were in Great Britain, we would see a reduction in fatalities. Northern Ireland is leading the way, but I hope this will push Parliament to consider GDL for England."
Keena is keen for change after losing her son and hopes that action in Northern Ireland will be a wake-up call for decision-makers across the rest of the UK.