Focus on Inexperience
Over 3,000 car drivers aged under 25 years of age are killed or seriously injured on Britain’s roads
each year. Nearly 38,800 people are killed or injured each year in collisions involving at least one
driver with less than two years post-test driving experience.
Learner drivers have few accidents because they are always under supervision. But, once they have passed their test, and can drive unsupervised, their chances of crashing increase dramatically. Young drivers are much more likely to crash than experienced drivers.
- 1 in 5 drivers crash within their first year of driving.
- 1 in 3 male drivers aged between 17 and 20 years crash in the first two years after passing their test.
- An 18 year old driver is more than three times as likely to be involved in a crash as a 48 year old driver.
- Young drivers are more likely to be involved in high speed crashes, single vehicle crashes involving losing control, crashes in the dark and crashes when overtaking and negotiating bends.
Why?
Lack of Experience
This is one of the main reasons. As new drivers gain more driving experience their accident rate
begins to fall.
Attitude
Young drivers, especially men, tend to be over confident and are more likely to drive in risky
ways: too fast, too close to the vehicle in front and dangerous overtaking. They consistently rate
their own driving as above average and are more likely to regard ‘good’ driving as the ability to
master the controls of the car at higher speeds.
Hazard Perception
Young drivers often have excellent vehicle control skills and fast reactions. But, they are poor at
identifying potential hazards and assessing risk, and tend to overestimate their ability to avoid
the hazard and accident. It takes new drivers up to two seconds longer to react to hazardous
situations than more experienced drivers.
Peer Pressure
Young drivers, especially men, who carry friends, are more likely to have a crash.
Gender
Novice male drivers have higher accident rates than novice female drivers, and are more likely to
commit driving offences.
Further Information
| www.rospa.com/roadsafety click on 'Driving' and then 'Young Drivers' |
www.getinlane.com |
www.helpingLdrivers.com |
www.passplus.org.uk |
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RoSPA is a registered charity: Registered Charity No: 207823 Patron: Her Majesty the Queen RoSPA Head Office: Edgbaston Park, 353 Bristol Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B5 7ST, UK |
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