Experts have renewed calls for new driving licence changes to be introduced, as fresh data shows that many young people have a poor understanding of vehicles.
More than 80 per cent of UK drivers have called for new drivers to demonstrate basic knowledge of tyres when learning to drive and after passing their test.
More than eight in 10 drivers think new drivers should fully understand correct tyre pressures, tread depths and how to use tyre pressure monitoring systems.
A further 57 per cent have demanded that the Government introduce Graduated Driving Licences for young people trying to get on the road, Bridgestone found.
Many road safety experts have called for GDLs to be introduced to reduce the number of people involved in accidents across the UK.
Research from the Department for Transport shows that around a fifth of all casualties killed or seriously injured in collisions involving cars were in collisions which involved a young car driver.
Young males between 17 and 24 are four times as likely to be killed or seriously injured compared with all car drivers aged 25 or over.
Graduated Driving Licences involve the introduction of certain restrictions on young people to ensure they are being safe in their first few months or years on the road.
New Graduated Driving Licence rules will launch in Northern Ireland this October amid calls for new rules to be introduced UK-wide
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PAThis could include a ban on carrying same-age passengers for a certain period of time, a zero tolerance for drink-driving and even nighttime driving curfews.
Half of Bridgestone survey respondents also suggested that people should carry a “recently passed” sign for up to 12 months, as well as only carrying one passenger for their first year at the wheel.
More than a third backed calls for newly qualified motorists to complete a refresher course after passing their test.
Around 21 per cent even said that new drivers should be locked to a 50-mile radius of their home in the first six to 12 months.
Drivers have called on learner drivers to ensure they know about tyres before getting behind the wheel
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GETTYHelen Roe, senior marketing manager at Bridgestone UK, said: “The latest findings reinforce our belief that tyre safety should play a far greater role in helping young drivers develop safe driving habits from day one.
“Despite tyres being the only point of contact between a vehicle and the road, tyre maintenance remains one of the most overlooked aspects of vehicle safety.
“We have seen some high-profile cases of preventable road fatalities due to defective tyres and we can’t stress the importance of knowing the tyre basics and carrying out some simple checks, which can be done in a matter of minutes.”
Northern Ireland will introduce a GDL scheme on October 1 next month with strong backing from the Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins.
Crystal Owen, whose son Harvey Owen, 17, was one of four teenagers killed in a crash, said driving licence changes need to be introduced
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PAThe new rules will see drivers face a mandatory minimum learning period of six months before being able to take a test, as well as a period of six months with nighttime driving restrictions for new drivers under 24.
They will also need to complete a logbook before taking a test that will contain “the learning required to become a safe driver”.
A spokesperson for the Department for Transport told GB News: “Every death on our roads is a tragedy and our thoughts remain with the families of everyone who has lost a loved one in this way.
“Whilst we are not considering Graduated Driving Licences, we absolutely recognise that young people are disproportionately victims of tragic incidents on our roads, and we are exploring options to tackle the root causes of this without unfairly penalising young drivers.”