By Sue Duncan, ADINJC General Secretary

The September 2026 edition of Traffic Safety Roads, compiled by ADINJC Road Safety Advisor Graham Feest, is now available to explore in full using the document slider below.

Key Items of Interest

More Than 192,000 Learner Driver Endorsements Issued

More than 192,000 endorsements were issued to provisional licence holders between 2022 and 2025, according to DVLA data highlighted in the bulletin. The annual total increased from 37,118 in 2022 to 53,502 in 2025.

The most common offences involved driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence, using an uninsured vehicle and exceeding the statutory speed limit. This is an important reminder that learners and those supervising private practice must understand the conditions attached to a provisional licence.

Penalty points received as a learner remain on the driver’s record after they pass. A newly qualified driver beginning their first two years with existing points therefore has considerably less scope for further mistakes before their licence is revoked.

Supporting Parents and Guardians of Novice Drivers

IAM RoadSmart, the RAC Foundation, the RAC and behavioural scientist Dr Elizabeth Box have collaborated to produce free resources for parents and guardians supporting novice drivers.

The resources include guidance for supervised practice, progress scorecards and a parent-teen agreement covering vehicle access and higher-risk situations such as night-time driving and carrying young passengers. They are designed to complement professional tuition and help learners gain broader experience while developing safer habits.

ADIs can play a valuable role by signposting families towards these resources and helping parents provide private practice that supports, rather than conflicts with, professional instruction.

Drug-Driving Offences Overtake Drink-Driving

Analysis of DVLA data by IAM RoadSmart found that 30,707 drug-driving endorsements were added to driving licences in 2025, representing a 28% increase since 2022. Drink-driving endorsements fell by 17% over the same period.

Young drivers remain disproportionately represented. Motorists aged 17-24 account for approximately 6% of licence holders but received 18% of drug-driving endorsements during 2025. ADIs have an important role in ensuring learners understand that illegal substances and some medicines can affect judgement, reaction times and concentration, as well as carry serious legal consequences.

Tyre Safety and New Drivers

The bulletin highlights TyreSafe’s continued focus on helping young and newly qualified drivers understand their responsibility for tyre safety. Research found that 52% of drivers aged 17-24 were unaware that they are legally responsible for the tyres on any vehicle they drive, even when they do not own it.

An illegal tyre can result in a fine of up to £2,500 and three penalty points. Two illegal tyres could therefore give a new driver six points, resulting in their licence being revoked within the first two years of passing. Regular checks of air pressure, condition and tread should form part of every learner’s preparation for independent driving.

Final Road Casualty Figures for 2025

The Department for Transport’s final figures show that 1,538 people were killed on Great Britain’s roads during 2025, a 4% reduction compared with 2024. However, the number of people killed or seriously injured increased by 4% to 29,918, while total reported casualties remained broadly unchanged at 127,883.

The figures present a mixed picture. Although the continued reduction in fatalities is welcome, the rise in serious injuries demonstrates that further progress is needed. For ADIs, this reinforces the importance of helping learners develop safe attitudes and decision-making skills that continue beyond the practical test.

Advanced Vehicle Safety Technologies

The Government has confirmed plans to require a range of advanced safety technologies on relevant new vehicles entering the Great Britain market. These include advanced emergency braking, blind-spot information systems, driver distraction and drowsiness warnings, emergency lane-keeping systems, intelligent speed assistance and reversing detection technology.

These systems have the potential to prevent collisions or reduce their severity, but they should support rather than replace attentive and responsible driving. Learners need to understand both the benefits and limitations of driver-assistance technology, particularly as they may encounter different systems across vehicles.

For ADIs, this reinforces the importance of explaining how vehicle technology works while ensuring learners retain strong observation, judgement and vehicle-control skills.

Final Thoughts for ADIs

September’s report highlights how road safety depends on a combination of education, personal responsibility, effective enforcement and appropriately used technology.

The rise in serious injuries, drug-driving offences and learner endorsements shows that passing the practical test cannot be treated as the end of a driver’s development. Tyre checks, supervised practice, awareness of provisional licence conditions and an understanding of vehicle-assistance systems all contribute to safer independent driving.

The Traffic Safety Roads bulletin is produced by Graham Feest, a highly respected road safety consultant with more than 50 years’ experience in road safety, driver training and transport policy. A former County Road Safety Officer and Head of Road Safety at IAM RoadSmart, Graham continues to support the profession through his roles as President of the Institute of Master Tutors of Driving and Road Safety Advisor to the ADINJC.

Sue Duncan
ADINJC General Secretary

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