All first time drivers entering the driver licencing system on or after April 1, 2002. The nine-month waiting period does not apply to drivers who held a Manitoba licence of any class prior to April 1, 2002. The purpose of the GDL Program is to reduce crashes among novice drivers. All new drivers, regardless of age, are at significantly greater risk of being involved in a collision than experienced drivers are. Statistics show that drivers with less than two years experience are three times more likely to be involved in an accident than the average driving population.
Studies show that driving experience is the single most important factor in avoiding crashes.
Although attitude and behavior are important, research shows that no matter how responsible they might be, novice drivers need experience to learn to drive in lower-risk situations and gain driving experience gradually. GDL enables novice drivers to gain experience under conditions where the risk of having a crash is lower. Over a two-year period, driving privileges will gradually increase as the driver progresses through the different stages of the program. Elsewhere, over 30 states in the U.S. and countries including Australia and New Zealand have GDL Programs. In Manitoba, various organizations have expressed their support for GDL including health professionals, safety agencies and law enforcement, as well as concerned citizens including students.