Government consultation on new rules for young motorists

As part of its road safety strategy policy paper, the UK Government opened a consultation on the proposal to introduce a minimum learning period for new drivers.

There were four other government consultations launched at the same time on the 7th January 2026. However, of all the proposals, the minimum learning period (MLP) is the one that, if implemented, will likely have an impact on anyone who is looking to get their Category B (car) licence.

Since the MLP will have the greatest impact on learner drivers, this is the one that we will focus on in this article.

Proposed changes to the law to improve road safety

The overarching objective of the road safety strategy is to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on British roads by 65% by 2035.

The MLP consultation places emphasis on younger drivers in particular, claiming that whilst drivers aged between 17 and 24 account for only 6% of driving licence holders, they accounted for 24% of serious and fatal collisions in 2024.

However, it is worth keeping in mind that the Government also states that the number of 17 – 24 year olds fatally injured on the UK’s roads has already dropped from 448 in 1990 to 73 in 2024 – a decline of 84%.

Whilst much of the Government’s justification for this proposal focuses on younger drivers, it is likely that any changes would apply at least to some extent to all new drivers regardless of age.

Potential changes for novice drivers

As things stand, it is possible for a learner driver to take their practical test as soon as they’ve passed their theory test – provided they already have their provisional licence, of course!

But this new proposal discusses either:

• Introducing a mandatory period of time between obtaining your provisional licence and taking your practical test.
• Introducing a minimum number of hours of training.

Beyond these simple metrics, the proposal also discusses making sure that learners gain a wide variety of experience under a range of driving conditions. This would include time of day, such as evenings and night time, road conditions, such as heavy traffic, and a variety of weather conditions.

What happens next?

This is not the first time a minimum learning period has been discussed by government so we can’t be certain whether or not this proposal will be implemented this time round either.

However, the most important thing to remember is that this is a proposal rather than a statement of intent to change the law. The policy paper is currently in consultation so this is the perfect opportunity to make your views known. The consultation closes on 31st March 2026 – so act soon to make sure your voice is heard!

Beyond the consultation deadline above, the proposal doesn’t set out a time frame for when these changes might be implemented. Any proposed change to the law will have to go through parliament first. This means any of requirements we’ve discussed are unlikely to come into force before the end of 2026 at the earliest.

You’re already streets ahead with How-2-Drive

We already recommend that learner drivers take at least 35 hours of guided tuition before taking their practical test. Our motto is: don’t practice until you can get it right – practice until you can’t get it wrong.

Whilst none of this is mandatory yet, our instructors only put pupils forward for their practical test when they feel confident they are ready to pass.

Additionally, the proposal discusses introducing other requirements such as:

• Digital logbooks to keep a record of learning hours.
• A structured learning syllabus that requires learners to have documented experience across a range of driving scenarios and conditions.

Digital logbooks to track guided lesson hours

Firstly, when you take driving lessons with us you will get our free How-2-Drive app. Besides enabling you to book lessons and pay your instructor, the app also logs your lessons and tracks your lesson progress. This means – whether the law changes or not – you’ll have evidence of all the guided learning you’ve completed to date.

A structured learning syllabus proven to improve pass rates

You’ll also benefit from our structured driver training system, which consistently brings learners up to test standard in less time than the DVSA average. We already know for a fact that a modular approach to learning works!

Lessons designed to deliver a wide range of driving scenarios

Finally, our lessons are already designed to give our learners experience of a wide range of road conditions and situations. Our primary goal isn’t just to help you pass your test – we want to give you the skills you need to become a safe driver for life. Making sure you get plenty of experience driving under different conditions is essential to helping you achieve this goal.

For these purposes, we are lucky that Norfolk can provide us with such a broad range of driving experiences. From the quiet country lanes of North Norfolk, to the bustling market towns of Broadland, the busy dual carriageways of South Norfolk and the unique urban challenges of Norwich and Yarmouth, we are able to deliver driving lessons across Norfolk that deliver a diverse range of learning opportunities.

Regardless of whether these new driving rules are implemented or not, our lessons are already designed to make the statistically riskier early stages of your driving career as safe as possible.