Close the driving loophole for foreign licence holders before more lives are lost

Recent signers:
Kay Lake and 18 others have signed recently.

The Issue

When 70-year-old Susan Whittles lost her life in a preventable road crash, her family lost a wife, a partner, and a deeply valued member of their community.

The driver responsible had failed multiple UK driving tests - yet was still allowed to continue driving unsupervised.

A coroner has since warned of a serious gap in the system: some foreign drivers can fail a UK driving test and still legally remain on the road without the same restrictions placed on others. This inconsistency undermines trust in our road safety laws and puts lives at risk.

This is not about where someone comes from. It is about ensuring that everyone who uses UK roads is held to the same clear, enforceable standards. When rules are applied unevenly, enforcement breaks down - and preventable tragedies can follow.

Right now, there appears to be no automatic mechanism to stop someone from continuing to drive unsupervised after failing a UK driving test. There is also limited power for examiners or authorities to intervene when a driver repeatedly fails to meet required safety standards. That must change.

We are calling on the UK Department for Transport and the Secretary of State for Transport to urgently review and strengthen enforcement rules so that anyone who fails a UK driving test is subject to immediate and consistent restrictions. This should include clear limits on unsupervised driving and stronger oversight for repeat failures.

Road safety depends on rules that are not only fair, but enforced without exception. Families across the UK deserve to know that every driver on the road has met the same basic standards - or is being properly supervised while they learn.

Susan Whittles’ death cannot be undone. But action now could prevent future loss and ensure that no family has to endure a similar tragedy because of avoidable gaps in the system.

Sign this petition to call for stronger enforcement, consistent standards, and safer roads for everyone.

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Recent signers:
Kay Lake and 18 others have signed recently.

The Issue

When 70-year-old Susan Whittles lost her life in a preventable road crash, her family lost a wife, a partner, and a deeply valued member of their community.

The driver responsible had failed multiple UK driving tests - yet was still allowed to continue driving unsupervised.

A coroner has since warned of a serious gap in the system: some foreign drivers can fail a UK driving test and still legally remain on the road without the same restrictions placed on others. This inconsistency undermines trust in our road safety laws and puts lives at risk.

This is not about where someone comes from. It is about ensuring that everyone who uses UK roads is held to the same clear, enforceable standards. When rules are applied unevenly, enforcement breaks down - and preventable tragedies can follow.

Right now, there appears to be no automatic mechanism to stop someone from continuing to drive unsupervised after failing a UK driving test. There is also limited power for examiners or authorities to intervene when a driver repeatedly fails to meet required safety standards. That must change.

We are calling on the UK Department for Transport and the Secretary of State for Transport to urgently review and strengthen enforcement rules so that anyone who fails a UK driving test is subject to immediate and consistent restrictions. This should include clear limits on unsupervised driving and stronger oversight for repeat failures.

Road safety depends on rules that are not only fair, but enforced without exception. Families across the UK deserve to know that every driver on the road has met the same basic standards - or is being properly supervised while they learn.

Susan Whittles’ death cannot be undone. But action now could prevent future loss and ensure that no family has to endure a similar tragedy because of avoidable gaps in the system.

Sign this petition to call for stronger enforcement, consistent standards, and safer roads for everyone.

The Decision Makers

Heidi Alexander
Heidi Alexander
Secretary of State for Transport

Supporter Voices

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