IAM reveals young male novice drivers over confident about driving skills
The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) latest report, “The fast and curious: young people’s attitude to driver training” has revealed that 62% of young male novice drivers think they are more skilful than the average driver. Only 32% of young women say the same.
According to DfT statistics (2010), the reality is that young novice male drivers are the highest risk group on our roads, and male drivers between the age of 17-29 are more than twice as likely to be killed or seriously injured as young female drivers.
The report also highlighted some other relevant data about young male novice drivers.
- 30% of car occupant fatalities are drivers aged 17-24, or passengers of a driver aged 17-24
- This age group however makes up only 8% of all driving licence holders (DVLA data 2010)
- Young drivers are more likely to take post-test training if a financial incentive is offered i.e. reduced insurance premiums would encourage 75% of young drivers to take further driver training.
- Training needs to be done early as the longer a driver has been driving, the less likely they feel the need for driver training.
Simon Best, IAM chief executive, said,”Young male drivers suffer from a lethal combination of overconfidence and inexperience. They don’t need curfews and other restrictions on their driving; they need to practice and gain driving experience safely”.
Mr Best went onto say,”There are many paying thousands of pounds a year in insurance and killing themselves. The solution to this problem is to link driver training and insurance discounts”.
Sounds like a good idea from the IAM?
Tags: advanced, driver, fatalities, iam, institute, insurance, motorists, young
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