YOUNG driver safety on rural roads has been put in the spotlight amid growing calls for tougher rules for newly qualified motorists.

Campaigners are pressing for graduated driving licences, which can place restrictions on inexperienced drivers during the period immediately after they pass their test.

Government figures show drivers aged 17 to 24 account for just six per cent of driving licence holders but were involved in 24 per cent of fatal and serious collisions in Britain during 2024.

A Gloucestershire Road Safety Needs Assessment published earlier this year also identified younger drivers among groups facing increased risks.

The assessment highlighted rural routes requiring targeted action and found speeding, distraction and impaired driving were among the biggest factors behind serious collisions in the county.

Gloucestershire's Road Safety Partnership is aiming to halve the number of people killed or seriously injured on the county's roads between 2022 and 2032.

The national debate centres on whether newly qualified drivers should face additional restrictions while gaining experience.

However, the Government has said it is not currently proposing graduated licensing restrictions such as limits on carrying passengers or driving at night.

Instead, ministers have consulted on introducing a minimum learning period of either three or six months before learners can take their practical test.

The Government says this could give learners greater experience of driving at night, in poor weather and in heavy traffic before becoming independent motorists.

Gloucestershire Constabulary advises newly qualified motorists not to feel pressured into speeding or following dangerous instructions from passengers.

The force also recommends inexperienced motorists consider displaying P plates and taking additional training after passing their test.

Road safety is also one of the priorities of the Forest of Dean Community Safety Partnership, alongside tackling rural crime and anti-social behaviour.