Learner drivers are now allowed to take lessons from fully qualified driving instructors on motorways following a change in the law effective from today (4 June).

Learner drivers are now allowed on motorways with a fully-qualified driving instructor in a dual-controlled car

The change, announced by the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), is part of the new-style driving test introduced last year, and follows a consultation launched at the end of 2016.

IAM RoadSmart has previously said that the move could save countless lives while the AA Charitable Trust has now said it’s a great opportunity to teach motorway safety and potentially avoid a future generation of ‘middle-lane hogs’.

Latest AA/Populus research shows only a quarter (25%) of newly qualified drivers said they felt adequately prepared for motorway driving after their test. More than a quarter (27%) said they felt scared when they did venture onto a motorway for the first time with women (46%) more than twice as likely as men (18%) to say this.

Edmund King, director of the AA Charitable Trust, said: “Collision statistics confirm that young drivers are drastically over-represented in crashes so this change, which will help broaden the opportunities they have while learning, is very positive.

“It is somewhat perverse that five minutes after passing the driving test a new driver could venture alone onto a motorway without having had any motorway tuition.”