The UK government aims to alleviate the train driver shortage by reducing the minimum qualifying age from 20 to 18. Although safety concerns held back this policy, studies show that younger drivers do not correlate with higher accident rates. Experience, rather than age, is critical for ensuring safety. With many current drivers nearing retirement, this initiative is timely to attract new talent. The change could help prevent school leavers from settling into other careers, which diminishes the available workforce for train driving in the future.
Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, stated, "We're taking bold action to improve train services and unlock thousands of jobs." Putting young people into the workforce is essential for economic growth.
Most studies find that age is not a factor in safety for both road and rail, but experience is. Lowering the age may actually enhance safety.
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