Durham Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen joined bereaved families, road safety campaigners, emergency services’ leaders and policymakers for the formal launch of a UK-wide campaign to protect young drivers.
The Protect Young Drivers campaign officially launched at a Parliamentary event during Road Safety Week, placing the safety of young and inexperienced drivers at the centre of national discussions.
PCC Allen, also the National Lead for Roads Policing with the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC), was a key supporter of the campaign.
She said: "Statistically, young drivers are at greater risk of being killed or seriously injured on our roads – with 20 per cent of new drivers in the UK involved in a crash within the first 12 months of passing their test.
"We cannot sit back and allow these tragedies to continue when they are almost always preventable.
"This campaign puts the safety of young and novice drivers at the top of the national agenda where it belongs.
"The sheer volume of experts and policymakers turning out for the launch proves that we are all on the same page – united in our mission to save more young lives."
Backed by MPs, educators and road safety charities, the campaign aims to mobilise national change through collaboration, evidence and lived experience.
Attendees at the launch included more than 70 representatives from across the UK.
The campaign was developed by Rebecca Morris, a road safety advocate, in partnership with the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS).
It focuses on measures such as Graduate Driving Licensing (GDL), a phased approach to licensing that Ms Allen has long supported.
Following the launch, an online hub was unveiled to provide resources, data, lived experience research and other materials for policymakers, educators and the public.
PCC Allen emphasised the personal cost of every statistic.
She said: "Every tragic statistic represents a story – a life lost, a family grieving, a community changed forever.
"We know the risks, and we understand the solutions– it’s time for change.
"With stronger awareness and commitment, and a willingness to learn from the evidence, we can stop other families enduring the unimaginable horrors of road tragedy."
Safer Roads is a priority in the PCC’s new Police, Crime and Justice Plan.
PCC Allen has set out a series of measures to reduce fatalities and serious injuries, both nationally and within Durham.
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Her actions include commissioning workplace drug and alcohol testing, lobbying for a reduction in the drink drive limit to bring England in line with Scotland and most of the rest of the world, and increasing capacity for more drug driving enforcement and the availability of test equipment.
She recently hosted the National Drug Driving Summit in Durham and has spoken at or supported nearly every road safety conference in 2025.
Supporters are encouraged to take part in the campaign by visiting the Protect Young Drivers website.
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