A Short History of the Learn and Live Campaign

In 1988 17 year old Kate Stone died in a car driven by a young learner driver, who was being supervised by another 17 year old who had only recently passed her driving test.

In 1989 Kate's mother Vicki gained the support of the Legal and General Insurance Company and founded the "Learn and Live" campaign aimed specifically at closing the loophole that allowed such inexperienced drivers to supervise each other in the learning situation. Gathering data from other countries and support from across the UK, she very quickly convinced the then Minister of Transport that a change in the law was imperative. In July 1990, on the second anniversary of Kate's death, the House of Commons passed the law requiring a driver supervising a learner to be at least 21 years old and to have a minimum of three years driving experience. This is now incorporated into the Highway Code.

From the correspondence received during the campaign Vicki Stone realised that her daughter's accident was only the tip of an iceberg and that there was a wholly unacceptable mortality rate amongst young drivers and their passengers during the first two years following the passing of the driving test.

Together with the active support of other bereaved families across the country the Learn and Live campaign expanded its activities in an attempt to reduce this carnage.

Recent research had highlighted certain facts: Novice drivers, although forming only 10% of the driving population have over 20% of the accidents. Accident liability rates decrease by nearly half after two years driving experience. One in three males have an accident within two years of passing the test. And probably most significant of all, it has been shown that, despite the presumed faster reflexes of the young, it takes the inexperienced driver 2 SECONDS LONGER than their experienced counterpart to RECOGNISE a possible hazard.

Collecting further information from press cuttings of specific accidents and by survey and consensus from its growing number of supporters, in 1990, the campaign outlined a series of common sense proposals aimed specifically at highlighting and combating the problems of INEXPERIENCE during these two vulnerable years following the driving test.

The campaign would lobby Parliament for a PROBATIONARY PERIOD for the two years following  the driving test, during which time certain restrictions should apply,  further training should be undertaken, and an identifying  "P"  plate should be carried on the car. Similar schemes already existed elsewhere in the world, including Northern Ireland.

Convincing the Department of Transport was much slower this time. One of Learn and Live's strategies has been to carry public opinion along with it. To this end in 1991, Vicki Stone persuaded the Express and Star, the country's largest regional evening newspaper, to distribute "P" plates for voluntary use by novice drivers in the West Midlands. The public response was excellent and over 14,000 plates were taken up. As a result of this and other initiatives the carrying of the "P"  and other new driver plates has become accepted across the country.

Another invaluable ally in the campaign has been the Borough of Sandwell's Road Safety Unit that has helped design and produce displays, leaflets and posters to further the campaign and educate the novice driver. These posters and leaflets are now available in Driving Test Centres across the country. In particular, the "Young Driver" leaflet has received acclaim across the country from Driving Instructors and Road Safety Officers and so far thousands of copies have been distributed and even translated for use abroad.

The activities of the Learn and Live Campaign and its supporting  organisations have been acknowledged by a number of awards. Vicki Stone has been awarded two Prince Michael Road Safety Awards and received the MBE in the 1995 New Years Honours for services to Road Safety. The Dewe Rogerson Organisation was awarded the Institute of Public Relations Sword of Excellence for its part in the original campaign (beating its own Water Privatisation  campaign into second place). The Express and Star received a Newspaper Society Award for an original and positive campaign.

The campaign continues to play its part in the Parliamentary Legislative process by regularly responding to Consultation papers on driver safety. Vicki Stone is an active member of the Parliamentary Council for Transport Safety (PACTS).

The campaign has seen many of its original proposals adopted during the past few years. There is now a written Theory Test. The "Pass Plus" scheme has introduced the concept of post-test training in motorway and night driving and compulsory training in these fields is being considered. In June 1997, one of its main aims came to fruition, when a two year Probationary Period for newly qualified drivers came into force, based on a reversion to learner status for drivers accumulating six penalty points.

Despite its successes Learn and Live still feels that more can be done to reduce accidents among inexperienced drivers, the passengers they carry and the pedestrians that they kill. Novice drivers still have access to vehicles more powerful than their limited experience can handle. They can still overload their cars with vulnerable young passengers and devastate the lives of several families in a brief moment as they show off their newly acquired (but limited) skills at the wheel. And despite the acknowledged success of the "R" plate scheme in Northern Ireland over the past 25 years, the Department of Transport and the Government are still  reluctant to require novice drivers to remind themselves of their inexperience by displaying a "P" or similar identification plate.

Learn and Live is at the forefront of every initiative to save youngsters' lives. The organisation is represented at the DSA Joint Youth Partnership meetings and is frequently asked to endorse projects such as Whatif? The DSA Hazard Perception Videos.

In June 2002 the Department for Transport published "Introducing a Structured Approach to Learning to Drive" in which it expressed support for voluntary plates and consulted on their compulsory use. Learn and Live generated massive support for its response and awaits, with interest, the decisions on the options, particularly P plates and moves towards a Graduated Driving Licence.

Recently, one of Learn and Live's early proposals has been achieved with the introduction of mandatory Hazard Perception Training for all learner drivers. This was incorporated within the Theory Test in November 2002.

The campaign will continue in its attempts to reduce the grief of  families who lose loved ones as a result of driving inexperience. It will be grateful for your support, which can be given by writing to your MP and to the Minister of Transport.

If you would like more information or would like to give more active support please contact: