The current way we train new drivers is failing to produce safe and law abiding motorists, particularly men, according to road safety charity, the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM).
Thirty-thousand, eight hundred and fifty male drivers aged 20 or under have up to six points on their license, according to data released by the DVLA.1 This compares with only 9, 758 young female drivers with up to six points on their license.
The breakdown by age is:
|
|
3 points |
4 points |
5 points |
6 points |
|
Male 17 |
837 |
8 |
7 |
358 |
|
Female 17 |
36 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Male 18 |
3,280 |
78 |
130 |
986 |
|
Female 18 |
705 |
15 |
25 |
70 |
|
Male 19 |
7,717 |
176 |
296 |
1,904 |
|
Female 19 |
2,542 |
47 |
73 |
230 |
|
Male 20 |
12,236 |
166 |
558 |
3,113 |
|
Female 20 |
5,229 |
82 |
117 |
587 |
During 2012, young drivers were involved in a fifth of all collisions where someone was killed or seriously injured. Yet younger drivers only account for eight per cent of all full driving licence holders in Great Britain, they also drive, on average, about half the distance of older drivers each year.
IAM chief executive Simon Best said: “Such high numbers committing a wide range of offences demonstrates the inability of our current system to deal with the attitudes and lack of experience which put new drivers at such high risk on the roads today. The government is currently working on a Green Paper for young drivers and this must better address the content and process of learning to drive so that our roads are safer for all road users.”
Steve - 18/12/2013 13:03
These are 'sobering' stats without doubt, the problem I have with them as the father of a 21 year old son who has no points or convictions is that his personal insurance premium is grossly and unfairly penalised because of his age and gender purely based on stats (and more so than the rest of us who also suffer from the opportunity to profiteer).... in a country that has laws against age and sex discrimination. Training and awareness is without doubt at the heart of the solution as is an appropriate deterrent. Offenders should be banned immediately for a year, repeat offenders for longer. Should insurance companies consider an incentive for young drivers? they do have a role to play in this. A fair and realistic first premium for a young driver with the warning that the premium will increase substantially immediately following either a claim or a penalty might encourage more common sense than bravado from young male drivers.... or am I just being naive? How about only allowing young driver insurance under the name of a responsible parent or guardian so as to encourage them to take an active role in their early years behind the wheel, wouldn't it then becomes important to that guardian show interest in protecting their own insurance premium.