Jacob Brown

Andrew Haigh 
HM Senior Coroner 
Coroner’s Office  
No 1 Staffordshire Place 
Stafford 
ST16 2LP 

sscor@staffordshire.gov.uk 

Deputy Director  
Road User Licensing, Insurance & Safety 
Department for Transport  
Zone 3/29 
Great Minster House 
33 Horseferry Road 
London 
SW1P 4DR 

Web Site: www.dft.gov.uk 
Our ref:  RULIS RR 

7 August 2018 

Andrew Haigh  
HM Senior Coroner 

Thank you for your letter of 21 June 2018 regarding the Regulation 28 
Report in relation to the death of Jacob Elliot Brown and the suggestion 
that it should be compulsory for all young drivers to have black boxes 
(telematics) fitted in any vehicles they drive to prevent future deaths.  

I was sorry to hear of the tragic death of Jacob, and I send my sincere 
condolences to his family and friends.  

The Government is committed to improving the safety of all road users, 
especially young drivers who are at a greater risk of being involved in a 
collision.  We believe that improved training, education, technology and 
engagement with young drivers, and their social support networks, 
could better equip these young people with the skills, knowledge and 
attitudes to be safe drivers.  

              
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 As you are aware, there is currently no legal requirement for telematics 
to be used by young drivers.  The decision to take up telematics is 
made in the context of motor insurance – a driver may accept 
telematics in order to reduce his or her premiums – and so the decision 
rests with the policy holder.  

We do not propose to take any action at this time to make telematics 
compulsory, as we do not have sufficient data to demonstrate that it 
would be effective.  To understand how telematics in a non-insurance 
context could reduce young driver collision risk, it needs to be tested 
and evaluated.  As such we are investigating its use as part of our £2 
million research programme called ‘Driver 2020’. 

In Driver 2020, which commenced in April 2017, five interventions are 
about to be trialled with over 14,000 learner and novice drivers aged 
between 17 and 24 years old.  The aim of the study is to provide 
thorough evidence as to whether any of the five interventions produce 
clear road safety benefits and reduce collision risk.  Once the research 
is completed at the end of 2020, we will consider the way forward. The 
specific interventions being considered are: 

1)  Using telematics devices and a mobile app to guide and 
provide feedback to new drivers during their first 12 months of 
driving post-test.  For example, highlighting data on speeding, 
smoothness (cornering, braking and acceleration) and exposure to 
risk (frequency of and length of journeys).  

2)  Hazard perception training, designed to increase skills in 
drivers as they approach (and potentially just after they begin) 
solo driving. 

3)  A training log-book – to increase the amount and type of on-
road practice that learner drivers obtain before taking their 
practical driving test. 

4)  A ‘mentor agreement’ – which involves the setting of 
voluntary limits, agreed between the young driver and a parent/ 
guardian, designed to reduce exposure to risky driving situations 
during the first months of solo driving.  

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 5)  An interactive educational intervention, to teach learner 
drivers about risk factors involved in independent driving, 
delivered over the course of a day in a classroom setting.  

Better hazard perception skills are crucial to improving road safety and 
we have used our ‘Innovation Challenge Fund’ to investigate how new 
technology, including virtual reality, can help learner drivers hone their 
hazard perception skills before taking their tests.  

You may be aware that the Prime Minister asked the Department for 
Transport to look into the benefits of Graduated Driver Licencing (GDL) 
following a question in the House of Commons.  GDL is a staged 
approach to fully independent driving which builds the skills and 
experience of young and novice drivers in structured steps; or places 
restrictions on their driving post-test, for example, restricting who they 
carry or preventing driving at night.  

Evidence from countries including New Zealand suggests that GDL can 
have a beneficial effect on road safety.  However, we want to be sure 
that the benefits are balanced against the costs of the restrictions, as 
many young drivers (especially in rural areas) use their cars to get to 
work or college.  

Northern Ireland have just consulted on implementing GDL with a 
scheme that includes a minimum learning period of six months and 
restrictions on who else may travel in the car.  We are therefore using 
the introduction of GDL in Northern Ireland as a pilot for gathering 
evidence on its potential introduction in Great Britain.  

Another approach is encouraging learners to practise in a wider range 
of conditions and environments.  New legislation which came into force 
in June has allowed them drive on motorways when accompanied by 
an Approved Driving Instructor in a dual control car. 

We have taken a tough stance on drivers who use a handheld mobile 
phone while driving.  In March last year the fixed penalty increased to 
six penalty points and a £200 fine.  Drivers who passed their test within 
the last two years already have a lower disqualification threshold of six 
points on their licence (compared to the usual 12 points for other 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 drivers), which means that if they are caught using their mobile phone 
while driving they now face having their licence revoked.  

Our award winning THINK! Campaign advertisements now primarily 
target 17-24 year old male drivers, for example, the [2017?] Christmas 
campaign was aimed at young men stopping their friends from drinking 
and driving.  We are now also using social media channels to get these 
messages across.  

Finally, you may also be interested to know that on 13 June the Road 
Safety Minister, Jesse Norman MP, laid a Written Ministerial Statement 
before Parliament announcing his four priority road user groups that are 
to be addressed in a forthcoming two year road safety action plan.  One 
of the groups is to be addressed is Young Road Users, which will 
include Young Drivers. 

The Written Ministerial Statement was accompanied by a progress 
report on the 2015 British Road Safety Statement which can be viewed 
online at: 
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/upl
oads/attachment_data/file/719259/road-safety-statement-progress-
report.pdf. 

The original Road Safety Statement can also be viewed online at: 
www.gov.uk/government/publications/road-safety-statement-working-
together-to-build-a-safer-road-system. 

The outcome of the Driver 2020 trials will be made publicly available 
once they are completed.  

Yours sincerely 

Pauline Reeves