P plates
P Plates are currently optional. They are designed to indicate to other road users that the driver of a vehicle has recently qualified. Over a thousand new drivers are killed each year on roads in the UK. New drivers make up around 7% of the drivers in the UK but have 12% of accidents that cause injury. According to research after the first two years of a driver passing their test, the probability of having an accident that causes injury is nearly halved.
One of the main reasons why so few young drivers don’t like P Plates is the idea of having to attach something to their pride and joy which looks suspiciously like an L plate is not great. When we conduct Pass Plus training we always have P Plates on our cars. This gives other road users an indication that the driver is newly qualified. This is really useful when negotiating a busy motorway for the first time.
So until the law changes, P Plates are still only optional. If you are a newly qualified driver and you do not want to use P Plates – then there is little anyone can do. However, it is a good idea to keep a set in your car. You may want to use them if you are traveling on a motorway for the first time, or visiting an unfamiliar place.
Put simply, P Plates can take a load of hassle away from your early years of driving, you are also much less likely to aggravate other road users if you make a genuine mistake – which we all do from time to time. Using P Plates also shows to everyone else that you are serious about becoming a better driver. You will also look less like a Boy/Girl Racer, and more like someone who is determined not to be just another typical inexperienced driver.
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