YOUNG drivers may need a note from their parents before getting behind the wheel under plans to cut accidents among under-25s.
Ministers want the newly qualified to sign contracts with strict conditions for their first year on the road.
Parents could impose restrictions such as no driving between midnight and 6am, a limit on driving time or a ban on having more than one young passenger.
In return, the youngster would be given access to the family car or help with paying the servicing or petrol costs.
US-style “Guardian Agreements” are being considered to improve road safety among under-25s. They make up around seven per cent of all licence holders but are in a quarter of fatal or serious injury accidents.
In 2018, 99 aged 17 to 24 were killed and 1,170 hurt.
Transport minister Rachel Maclean said: “We’re assessing the merits of safer driving measures for new and novice drivers, including guardian agreements for night time driving.”
And AA president Edmund King said: “Guardian agreements could be a useful tool in focusing the minds of parents and their teenagers on the risks of driving.”
Another option is the extension of the “black box” system used by some insurers, where a gadget is fitted in the car to monitor the driver’s speed and other habits – with a discount for those who clock up a good first year.
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