Should young drivers be allowed passengers?

Should young, newly-qualified drivers be allowed to carry passengers of a similar age?

The AA says not, and that the introduction of graduated driving licensing (GDL) placing restrictions on them for the first six months could save more than 50 lives and prevent 900 serious injuries per year.

But one driving instructor believes black boxes, which monitor how you drive and informs insurance companies, might be a better way.

It comes after four teenagers died in a car crash in north Wales last November.

Driving instructor Rebecca Hawkins prefers the use of black boxes

Rebekah Hawkins, who runs CF14 School of Motoring in Barry, said "We don't want to take that enjoyment away of meeting with friends - but if it's coupled with a black box - then I think that's the way to go.

"I think there's a lot of pressure on learners from other drivers.

"I feel that a lot of the time they speed to keep up with full license holders who have got the experience. If they've got a black box I think that takes the pressure off them," she said.

Crystal Owen's son Harvey died in an accident in north Wales

Crystal Owen from Shrewsbury is campaigning for graduated licences after her son Harvey, 17, died with friends Jevon Hirst, Wilf Fitchett and Hugo Morris when their car overturned on the A4085 in Gwynedd in November.

An inquest into the deaths concluded that they died as a result of a traffic collision. The coroner called for more restrictions on new drivers.

But there were mixed opinions among young people in Cardiff.

Marley, 16, said: "I think they should be allowed to have passengers. If you’ve passed your driving test you’ve passed it, so you should be allowed to have passengers."

Emily Brompton, 19, said: "I felt confident because I’d been learning for so long but I was only doing short journeys anyway to and from school so I felt alright doing it, it was familiar to me."

Pearl Keeble, 19, said: "I definitely think having that confidence on the road is good before you have other people in the car with you, but would say once you’ve passed your test and had that stability having an adult with you in the car that can definitely build confidence."

A Department for Transport spokesperson said it was not currently considering graduated driving licences and is looking for other ways of keeping young drivers safe.