Britain’s newly qualified drivers could graduate from L-plates to T-plates following the introduction of an innovation from one of the country’s leading motor insurers.
Co-op Insurance have partnered with Brake, a national road safety charity, to introduce a blue ‘T-Plate’ for young drivers who have agreed to have a telematics box installed on their car to reduce motor insurance costs.
Car insurance costs can often be prohibitive for younger and newly qualified drivers, but the ‘black box’ style telematics systems can help reduce premiums by monitoring a motorists driving style.
“We would like the T-plate to become universal so that all motorists understand that it identifies the driver ahead of them as being new to the road and has a black box in their car that's monitoring their every move,” said Charles Offord, managing director of Co-op insurance.
It is thought the T-plate has been introduced as the sensible drivers using telematics systems can often be subject to aggressive behaviour and rude gestures from other drivers.
The Institute of Advanced Motorists welcomed the initiative but said that young drivers should not have to pay for the actions of other bad drivers.
Neil Greig, director of policy and research, said: “The most dangerous time for motorists who have just passed their driving test is the first six months – or 1,000 miles – as they are inexperienced.
“If having a T-plate makes a driver less nervous, then it is a good thing, though it would be wrong to make them obligatory.
“Sadly, I fear that bad drivers will not be any more considerate just because the driver ahead of them is displaying a T-plate.”