When I learned to drive in the UK, there was one written test and one road test. Before passing the road test, I could only drive with a responsible adult driver, and I was banned from the motorways (highways). Once I had passed, I could drive wherever I wanted. Fortunately, my father took me out on the motorway and showed me how to drive there, but this was not part of the test and I could not practice this, even with an instructor, until I had passed my driving test.

Now my children are learning in Ontario, Canada, where there is a much more sensible graduated driving test system. After having passed one road test, young drivers can drive by themselves on ordinary roads, but they are restricted from highways unless they are supervised. There are also sensible restrictions which require them to be completely sober, not to drive in the small hours of the morning, and not to drive with a bunch of young friends. This is all aimed at reducing the drunk driving deaths among young drivers.

But there is one aspect of the British system which I miss: “L-Plates”. In the UK, and in a few other countries like Singapore (shown), and in the province of British Columbia, learner drivers must attach  bright red and white “L-Plates” to the front and back their car:

Driver with “L-Plate” (Wikimedia)

The plate signifies a learner driver. It suggests that this is a driver who may not have full control of his or her vehicle, who may behave in an erratic fashion, and who should be given some extra space. It encourages other road users to be polite to someone who is just starting out on their driving career, and to forgive the for mistakes which we all make as learners, rather than honking or giving them the finger. Some cafes and retail store do a similar thing with new employees, providing them with a name tag which says “In training” or something similar. If they mess up your order or take longer than usual, you know that they are just learning the job and are more likely to accept the situation.

When I wore an “L-Plate”, it was tied on to the chrome bumper of my parent’s care with string. Once I passed my test, it was rewarded by being able to remove it and throw it in the trash, a potent symbol of my success. Modern “L-Plates” can be made of plastic with a built-in magnet  that they adhere easily to a vehicle and can be removed and replaced easily.

I do not see any down-side to the concept of “L-plates” and think they should be used by learner drivers everywhere.