GRADUATED licences have been proven to reduce the number of young people who die behind the wheel, according to a leading road safety charity.

National charity Brake campaigns for government improvements to prevent death, and injury, on Britain's roads.

The group is calling for learner drivers to go through a 12-month training period before they can sit their test. After passing the exam, new drivers would then be on a two-year probationary period where restrictions would be placed on them before they could obtain a full licence.

The Lancashire Telegraph's Wasted Lives campaign has set out to change the law, and improve education, to protect young people from the dangers of the road.

Backing the campaign's fight for graduated licences, Brake's campaign officer Rachel Burr said: "We have been lobbying the government to introduce such a scheme. Graduated driver licensing allows young people to gain experience and skills gradually, and protects them from the most high-risk situations in the first few months after passing their test, when they are most vulnerable.

"It has been proven to reduce casualties in many of the countries where it has been implemented, such as New Zealand. It is high time we took urgent action to stop the tragically-high number of young driver deaths and injuries by overhauling our driver-training and testing system."

Brake has produced its own educational DVD, called Too Young to Die', featuring those bereaved, or injured, by road accidents. Miss Burr said: "The number of young people, particularly young men, dying on our roads is absolutely horrifying, and we all need to work together to stop this carnage."

She added: "We totally support the Telegraph's campaign, and are pleased to see that it seeks to change driver attitudes, as well as calling for legislation to protect young drivers."