A group of 40 bereaved parents have united to fight for graded driving licenses, which would impose restrictions on young drivers to prevent road deaths.

Research shows that drivers aged 17 to 24 account for 24% of all collisions resulting in death or serious injury, despite making up only 7% of the total driving population.

Other countries, including Canada, Australia and New Zealand, have previously adopted graduate driver’s licenses, limiting night driving and the number of similarly aged passengers young drivers can have in their cars.

Sharron and Mike Huddleston, one of the supporters of the RoadPeace movement, lost their 18-year-old daughter Caitlin in a car crash in Cumbria in July 2017.

An inquest into her death found the collision was caused by her friend’s lack of driving experience, having only passed her test four months earlier.

Chris and Nicole Taylor, who also lost their 18-year-old daughter in 2008, have joined other parents in forming the Forget Me Not Family Alliance, which has been calling on the government to introduce a graduate driving license system in the UK.

Mrs Huddleston said: “Enough is enough. How many more young people need to die before action is taken? We can no longer stand by and watch as more and more young people are killed or seriously injured in road collisions.

“Our group was set up to engage with the government collectively as individual contacts resulted in no action. I have been campaigning for years but no one is listening, despite overwhelming evidence being presented to them by leading experts in the field.

“Our message to the government is simple – listen to us, listen to the experts and learn from other countries which have seen deaths of young drivers and passengers following the introduction of graded driving licenses for young novice drivers. The numbers have dropped significantly.”

Studies show that in countries where the system has been introduced, deaths and serious injuries in crashes involving young drivers have been reduced by 20 to 40 percent.

Meanwhile, in the UK, 4,935 people were killed or injured in 2022 when at least one young driver was involved in a crash.

Figures from traffic safety research, insurance companies and charities show that drivers under 24 are more likely to be involved in a crash at night, in difficult conditions or when carrying passengers of similar age.

Dr Ian Greenwood, who has a PhD in road safety policy, said: “The evidence for graduated driving licensing is strong and has been for many years and I hope politicians will listen to the experts and take action.

“Graduated driving licenses were first debated in the House of Commons in 1993 and my (forever) 12-year-old daughter was killed in a young driver crash in 2008. Did politicians take action in the decades before or after this ?Simply put, Alice is probably looking forward to her 28th birthday this year.

“Twenty to 40 per cent of other bereaved parents may still have their children. Politicians need to decide whether to continue to ignore the evidence and parents’ appeals, or finally take action.”