UK proposes 6-month wait between driving tests to boost safety, delaying licenses until 17½.

The UK government proposes a minimum six-month waiting period between passing the theory and practical driving tests for learners in England and Wales, aiming to improve road safety by ensuring more practice time. The change, part of a broader strategy to cut road deaths by 65% over ten years, would delay the earliest licence issuance to age 17-and-a-half and includes both formal lessons and informal practice with family. While the AA supports the delay, it criticizes the absence of graduated driving licences, which could limit risky driving behaviors among young drivers. The plan follows ongoing test booking backlogs and is backed by evidence suggesting similar measures in other countries reduce crashes by up to 32%. The government maintains the current two-year theory test validity, citing safety concerns over outdated knowledge.