Young drivers – why are they more at risk?

It has also been determined that young drivers run a greater risk of crashing in the first six to twelve months, and even up to three years, after receiving their drivers’ licence.

Why are young drivers more at risk?

The following factors play a major role in the driving performance of young drivers:

• • Their inexperience and lack of mature judgement

• • Alcohol that influences the young driver’s performance to a larger extent

• • Illicit drug use that is on the increase in this age group

• • Distraction and fatigue as a cause of driving error

• • Driving at excessive speed and carrying passengers

• • Reckless encouragement by fellow young passengers to break the rules for fun

• • Disregard for road rules owing to newfound freedom

• • Lower seatbelt use rates

• • Being affected by loss of sleep (driving during sleeping hours) and the task duration, contributing to increased fatigue and increased risk.

Crashes involving alcohol, speeding and carrying of passengers are about 20 times more likely for teens than for middle-aged adults. Furthermore, the young drivers’ bad track record can be attributed to their inability to assess and recognise risky situations and making the right and safe decisions in those situations.

How to improve young driver skills to reduce the likelihood of crashes and fatalities

Possible measures could include the following:

• • Better training, for example, gaining driving experience in a range of conditions and situations under supervision

• • Stricter licence testing

• • Higher fines for driving offences

• • Vigorous enforcement of driver safety measures, in particular random breath testing for alcohol abuse

• • Alerting parents or other authorities when dangerous driving has occurred

• • Increasing young people’s involvement in youth health-related policies and actions

• • Developing initiatives aimed at young people on the dangers of drinking and driving.

 

Sources

www.aa.co.nz/drivers
www.arrivealive.co.za