MORE must be done to improve the training of young drivers if road deaths are to be cut, MPs have warned.

A new report published today echoes many of the calls made by the Lancashire Telegraph’s Wasted Lives campaign, aimed at cutting the number of road deaths caused by young drivers.

In the report, completed by leading MPs in the Transport Committee, the government is urged to increase pre-driver training as well as introduce training for people once they had passed their test.

The previous Labour government resisted calls from campaigners, including the Telegraph, for reforms of the driver test scheme. We called for the introduction of graduated licensing and to raise the licence age to 18.

Last year there was an increase in road fatalities nationally. Locally the figure was down slightly with 43 people killed and 806 seriously injured across Lancashire. Louise Ellman, the chair of the Transport Committee, said the number of road fatalities should be a ‘wake-up call for Government to step up and provide stronger leadership on safety’.

She said: “It is shocking that road accidents are the main cause of death among young adults aged 16-24 and that so many cyclists continue to be killed or injured.

“Twenty-seven per cent of young men aged 17 to 19 are involved in a road collision within the first year of passing their test.

“If the government is not willing to set targets, it should show more leadership. Action is required to improve road safety for young drivers, including an independent review of driver training.”

The committee also highlighted the variability in road safety performance between local authorities She said: “The Government has not so far provided any specific explanation for these increases and it remains unclear whether this marks the beginning of a new trend in road deaths.”