By Ahmed Abdelsalam
New driving licence restrictions have come into effect in Northern Ireland, introducing a graduated driver licensing system aimed at reducing fatal crashes involving young drivers. The changes require learners to spend at least six months gaining experience before taking a practical test and impose night-time passenger restrictions on drivers under 24. Penalties for non-compliance include three penalty points or a fine of up to £1,000.
Graduated Driver Licensing in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is the first part of the UK to implement graduated driver licensing (GDL) for all new drivers, with a focus on those aged 17 to 23. Official figures show that 17- to 23-year-old drivers were responsible for nearly a quarter of all collisions in Northern Ireland in 2024, despite holding only 8 per cent of licences. In 2024, 251 people were killed or seriously injured in collisions involving a young driver, and the young driver was at fault in 65 per cent of cases.
Proposals for Younger Drivers Born After 2002
As part of a broader road safety strategy, the UK government is considering a mandatory minimum learning period for learner drivers, most of whom are in their late teens and early 20s. The proposal would require a six-month wait between the theory test and the practical driving test. Government data indicates drivers under 25 represent 6 per cent of licence holders but were involved in 24 per cent of fatal and serious crashes in 2024. Ministers estimate minimum learning periods could reduce such collisions by up to 32 per cent, based on international evidence.
Mandatory Eyesight Tests for Older Drivers Proposed
Separately, a proposal for drivers in their 70s would replace self-declared eyesight standards with mandatory vision checks every three years during licence renewal. Currently, drivers aged 70 and over must renew their licence every three years and self-declare that they meet eyesight requirements and declare any listed medical conditions. The new proposal, which underwent public consultation between January and May 2026, was first discussed in August 2025 under the previous administration.
