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Deadly risk-taking among young drivers revealed at national conference
29 January 2008
The number of young drivers who regularly take extreme risks, like overtaking blind and drugged-driving, is revealed today at a national conference. Research from road safety charity Brake and Green Flag shows that:
- One in three young drivers (33%) admits overtaking when they can't see what's coming, compared to one in ten older drivers (9%);
- One in 11 young drivers (9%) admits driving on illegal drugs, compared to 3% of older drivers;
- Half of young drivers (50%) admit using a hand-held phone while driving, compared to three in ten older drivers (35%).
Horrifying numbers of young people take these life-threatening risks on a regular basis: one in six drivers under 25 (17%) overtake blind once a week or more; and one in five (20%) use a hand-held mobile at the wheel once a week or more. (See notes to editors for full results.)
These startling insights into the risk-taking culture of young drivers are reflected in the high number whose lives are cut short. More than 14 young drivers and passengers die every week in Britain.1
The research comes as a national conference in Manchester today (29 Jan) brings together experts in the field to discuss strategies to tackle young driver crashes. At the conference Brake will urge the Government to publish its long-awaited consultation on novice drivers and take prompt action to cut casualties.
Brake's head of campaigns, Cathy Keeler, will argue that the current system of learning to drive is inadequate, contributing to high numbers of young people killed and injured on roads as a result of inexperience combined with immaturity and dangerous attitudes. She will be talking about the need to introduce compulsory road safety education in schools and a system of Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL).
Organised by Brake, the conference will examine Government policies, latest research, advertising and education campaigns. Speakers will cover research into pre-driver education, Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL), and how best to communicate with young drivers to combat risk-taking. Speakers include:
- Nick Carter, Driving Standards Agency - Government initiatives
- Dr. David Crundall, Nottingham University - hazard perception skills among young and novice drivers
- Fiona Seymour, Head of Publicity, THINK! - using research to develop targeted advertising
Click here for a flyer with full agenda for the event, which is sponsored by KeyMed.
GDL systems have been successfully introduced in New Zealand2, Canada and the States. They typically include:
- A minimum learner driver period (e.g. 12 months), with a minimum number of hours professional tuition. This ensures drivers gain experience over time and across a range of conditions.
- A novice driver period (entered after completing the learner period and passing practical and theory tests) with restrictions on high-risk situations including driving at night and carrying passengers3.
- A second test at the end of the novice period, following which a full licence is granted.
For more information on GDL, click here.
Case study - available for interview by calling 01484 559909
Nick Bennett was 17 years old when he made the decision to overtake without making sure it was safe. He had set off to work and came up behind two slow vehicles. Nick pulled out to overtake and crashed into a three-tonne lorry. His brain stem was severely twisted in the crash, affecting his mobility, speech and nervous system. He now uses a wheelchair and can only walk with a frame. Nick Bennett says: "I pay every day for taking the stupid risk of overtaking blind. I used to regularly take extreme risks while driving - speeding, racing my mates, overtaking dangerously - and never thought much of it. My life has altered dramatically, all because of the decision I took that day. I would urge all young drivers not to gamble with their lives like I did with mine. I thought I was invincible, and learned the hard way I'm not."
Cathy Keeler, head of campaigns for Brake says: "The Government must take steps to tackle extreme risk-taking and appalling numbers of deaths and injuries involving young drivers. Brake is demanding that the promised Government consultation is published and decisive action taken. We must educate young people on the consequences of taking these deadly risks and ensure we have a robust, structured system of learning to drive in place. We know Graduated Driver Licensing works, and we can't afford to drag our heels. The longer we delay, the more young lives are needlessly wasted."
Abi Clark, spokesperson for Green Flag says: "This research highlights that many young drivers are taking extremely dangerous risks when they are out on the road. All drivers need to know that taking risks such as drink and drug driving, using mobile phones at the wheel and overtaking blind all have a huge impact on the safety of all people on the road."
For interviews with Brake or Nick Bennett call Brake Press Officer Lorna Jackson on 01484 559909.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
Brake
Brake is an independent national road safety charity. Brake exists to stop the 9 deaths and 82 serious injuries that happen on UK roads every day and to care for families bereaved and seriously injured in road crashes. Brake produces educational road safety literature, runs community training programmes and runs events including Road Safety Week (10-16 November 2008). Brake's Fleet Safety Forum provides up-to-date fleet safety resources to fleet managers and runs a year-round programme of events. BrakeCare, Brake's support division, cares for road crash victims through a helpline and other services.
Green Flag
- Green Flag provides roadside rescue, breakdown insurance and recovery 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
- Green Flag's incident management centre in Leeds manages around 1m breakdown incidents each year
- Green Flag has an average call out time of around 40-minutes (based on research undertaken between January 2007 and December 2007)
- More than 85% of Green Flag customers get assistance within the hour (Internal monitoring between September 2006 - August 2007)
- Around 80% of vehicles are repaired at the roadside (Internal monitoring between September 2006 - August 2007. Excludes extreme failures)
- Customers have access to a national network of thousands of independent recovery agents in the UK and on mainland Europe
Brake and Green Flag survey
These results are from a survey of 4,640 drivers, 533 of whom were aged between 17 and 24, carried out across the UK.
Survey results in full:
Within the past 12 months, how often have you overtaken when there was a chance you could have hit something you couldn't see?
- 66% of drivers aged 17-24 have not overtaken when there was a chance they could have hit something they couldn't see, compared to 90% of older drivers
- 13% of drivers aged 17-24 have overtaken less than once a month when there was a chance they could have hit something they couldn't see, compared to 5% of older drivers
- 3% of drivers aged 17-24 have overtaken once a month when there was a chance they could have hit something they couldn't see, compared to 1% of older drivers
- 7% of drivers aged 17-24 have overtaken once a week when there was a chance they could have hit something they couldn't see, compared to 1% of older drivers
- 5% of drivers aged 17-24 have overtaken several times a week when there was a chance they could have hit something they couldn't see, compared to 1% of older drivers
- 5% of drivers aged 17-24 have overtaken every day when there was a chance they could have hit something they couldn't see, compared to 1% of older drivers
- 1% of drivers aged 17-24 did not answer, as did 1% of older drivers
Within the past 12 months have you ever taken illegal drugs and driven?
- 9% of drivers aged 17-24 said they had driven after taking illegal drugs, compared to 3% of older drivers
- 90% of drivers aged 17-24 said they had not driven after taking illegal drugs, compared to 96% of older drivers
- 1% of drivers aged 17-24 did not answer, compared to 1% of older drivers
Have you chatted on a hand-held mobile phone while driving in the last 12 months?
- 47% of drivers aged 17-24 said they have never chatted on their mobile phone while driving, compared to 64% of older drivers
- 26% of drivers aged 17-24 said they have occasionally chatted on their mobile phone while driving, compared to 21% of older drivers
- 4% of drivers aged 17-24 said they have chatted on their mobile phone while driving once a month, compared to 6% of older drivers
- 9% of drivers aged 17-24 said they have chatted on their mobile phone while driving once a week, compared to 4% of older drivers
- 11% of drivers aged 17-24 said they have chatted on their mobile phone while driving several times a week, compared to 3% of older drivers
- No drivers aged 17-24 said they have chatted on their mobile phone while driving every day or more frequently, compared to 1% of older drivers
- 3% of drivers aged 17-24 did not answer, compared to 1% of older drivers
About Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL)
Brake believes we need to tackle casualties involving young drivers by introducing a Graduated Driver Licensing System, similar to those that have been successfully implemented in New Zealand, the United States and Canada. We recommend the following steps be introduced:
- a minimum learner driver period of at least 12 months, effectively raising the age at which people can take their driving test to 18 and encouraging learner drivers to gain supervised experience in all seasons and types of weather
- a minimum number of hours of professional tuition that must be undertaken before someone can sit their practical driving test
- restrictions on newly-qualified drivers for a post-test period of at least 12 months, during which time they should carry compulsory probationary 'P' plates. Restrictions should include:
- driving at night
- driving with young passengers (e.g. aged 14-25)
- driving high-powered vehicles (e.g. over 1.4 litre engine)
Sources
- In 2006, 749 young drivers, motorcyclists and passengers were killed, Road Casualties Great Britain 2006 (DfT 2007)
- Following the introduction of GDL in NZ, there were reduction in car crash injuries of 23% for 15-19-year-old and 12% for 20-24-year-olds. Graduated Driver Licensing - A Review of Some of the Current Systems, (TRL Report 529, 2001)
- US research has shown that, among 16-19 year-olds, the crash rate is five times higher when there are two or more passengers in the car than a driver alone. 'The situational risks of young drivers: the influence of passengers, time of day, and day of week on accident rates,' Doherty, S.T, Audrey, J.C and MacGregor, C., 1998
