Young Drivers Crash Rate Worsens

[hawk20]

The accident rates of young motorists are worsening while older drivers are making fewer insurance claims.
Claims made by drivers under the age of 23 have increased by more than 300% in the last five years, insurer Norwich Union said.
In contrast, accidents by drivers over 23 fell by 10% during the same period.
The company said a survey of 1,250 young drivers showed that 23% of young males had been behind the wheel while under the influence of drink.
Norwich Union added that Government statistics showed that drivers aged 17-19 were ten times more likely to have a drink-drive crash than other motorists, while 20-24 year olds were four times as likely.

 

[MarkF]

One solution to this problem is to get away from speed cameras as policing and get more traffic cars on the road to catch the bad drivers, an example of this was last week on the M56 going to work, I was in the outside lane doing 80ish, and was passed between me and the crash barrier by a guy on a motorbike, mad or what, all it would have taken was for me to drift slightly and he would have been dead.

WHERE ARE WE ALL RUSHING TO!!!!!!!!

 

[Splatt]

The accident rates of young motorists are worsening while older drivers are making fewer insurance claims.
Claims made by drivers under the age of 23 have increased by more than 300% in the last five years, insurer Norwich Union said.
In contrast, accidents by drivers over 23 fell by 10% during the same period.
The company said a survey of 1,250 young drivers showed that 23% of young males had been behind the wheel while under the influence of drink.
Norwich Union added that Government statistics showed that drivers aged 17-19 were ten times more likely to have a drink-drive crash than other motorists, while 20-24 year olds were four times as likely.

I wonder what the optimum age range is ? I note they link this to drink , but what about drugs, the way some of the tossers drive they have to be on something mind altering they can`t have been born that stupid.

 

[shadowninja]

Yes, I hear the number of drivers who drive under the influence of drugs is increasing. I have no idea what makes them think it's a good idea. Tossers. (And if there are any forum members who do drive after a spliff then I don't apologise... but I doubt that is the case; of course, if you have scientific evidence to prove that having a spliff does not alter your thinking, reaction speeds or judgement faculties...)

 

[Mr Teddy Bear]

Spillf Ninge .........................Ki???????????

 

[st13phil]

I wonder when the penny will finally drop in the DfT that their "road safety" policies of the last 15 years have been an abject failure? The fact is that we desperately need a root-and-branch rethink of those road safety policies that includes a big dose of honesty and a willingness to eat humble pie, not ever larger doses of the same ineffective medicine.

The most interesting fact here is that the age ranges with the greatest rate of deterioration in average driving performance are the ones who have spent all their formative years under the "Speed Kills" and Automated Enforcement safety regime. What a raging success that has been

Proper and ongoing education about driving and the risks it entails, plus the detection of dangerous driving practices by human beings who can then dispense advice, or warnings, and ultimately report for prosecution if the matter warrants it are what we desperately need. But as that would require an admission by policy makers and a whole industry that they've created that we've spent many years going up a blind alley, I doubt it will happen any time soon.

 

[Splatt]

Still I remember in my formative years, when every town worthy of the name had at least one cinema, going to see James Dean in "Rebel Without a Cause" what a shock ! Seeing those American kids in there big saloons racing and crashing them . I suppose it had to catch on here eventually. At the time we just used our bicycles in a slightly more reckless manner.

 

[jibcl500]

Gets the ****es off the road which is a good thing, nearly had a pigot 207 front end me today, on the wrong side of the road on a blind bend, driven by a yuff with a base ball cap, chav uniform.

Good job he didnt hit me, if able to walk afterwards I would have killed him, and I mean that.

jib

 

[johnmc]

Young drivers need to be aggressively targeted by the police, no question about it. Act like kids we'll treat you like one.

Where are the patrol cars? The government needs to be hit in the wallet through lawsuits or somehow, but until the accidents start to cost them more than the speed cameras nothing with change.

John

 

[JEZ.S320L]

........Where are the patrol cars?....John

Good question. I travel on the M4/M42/M6 most of the time. In the last 3 months, I haven't seen a SINGLE Police traffic car. What I HAVE seen, are countless 'Highway Thingybobs' - plastic police.! Is this a government cost-cutting exercise, or what????

 

[JEZ.S320L]

One solution to this problem is to get away from speed cameras as policing and get more traffic cars on the road to catch the bad drivers, an example of this was last week on the M56 going to work, I was in the outside lane doing 80ish, and was passed between me and the crash barrier by a guy on a motorbike, mad or what, all it would have taken was for me to drift slightly and he would have been dead.

WHERE ARE WE ALL RUSHING TO!!!!!!!!

Motorcyclists = Organ Donors.!

 

[hawk20]

Given the obsession of television so-called motoring programmes with speed and performance generally -and the motoring mags as well - is it any wonder that young men want to try driving fast.

 

[st13phil]

Given the obsession of television so-called motoring programmes with speed and performance generally -and the motoring mags as well - is it any wonder that young men want to try driving fast.

I think that the notion that the motoring media's interest in speed and performance influences young men to try driving fast is an irrelevance. Almost all young men seek risk - it's part of the human condition - but the trick is for them to learn quickly the point where the thrill of risk turns to the tears and pain of carnage. They can do that best if properly guided and their worst excesses bring swift retribution.

 

[jubhi]

Hardly ever see any police on the road, all I see is ****** speed camera's everywhere, Arrrgggghhhh.

If there were actuallly more Police Officers patrolling the road then this would help as speed camera's can't capture bad drivers driving dangerously.

 

[Splatt]

I feel genuine concern over the complete inertia from central government over the alcohol and drug problem . The last report was from the Dept for Transport in 2001, it recognised that this was a growing problem but in the intervening years nothing further has happened and no further assesment carried out . The report at that time was very wishy-washy and seemed to get stuck on the fact that drugs (cannabis) stayed in the body for 4 weeks and how did you prove they were an influence on any accident.
Precis of report.
In 1996 TRL was commissioned by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) to conduct a new study to look at the current incidence of alcohol and drugs in road accident fatalities. The report describes this study and its conclusions. Between 1985 and 1987 the Transport Research Laboratory carried out a study to measure the incidence of drugs in fatal road accident casualties. This showed that the incidence of medicinal drugs (5.5%) and drugs of abuse (3%) was relatively low in comparison to alcohol, which was found in 35% of cases. Recent evidence, however, has suggested that drug taking in the general population has increased considerably since 1987, but there was little evidence on whether this increase has been reflected in the driving community. The present study was completed in June 2000. The results from 1184 cases show that illicit drug taking (mainly cannabis) has increased by a factor of six since the earlier study. Over the same period, the incidence of medicinal drugs and alcohol has remained very similar. Overall, drug taking has increased by a factor of three. The possible reasons behind these increases and the implications for road safety are considered. (A)

How can there be any shadow of a doubt that this growing problem is totally due to the Governments lack of concern and lethargy. It`s about time they took their heads out of their a***s.

 

[jamesmc]

Motorcyclists = Organ Donors.!

There are quite probably more reckless car drivers that donate organs per annum than motorcyclists.

Yes I ride a motorcycle. I also have all my organs.

 

[JEZ.S320L]

There are quite probably more reckless car drivers that donate organs per annum than motorcyclists.

Yes I ride a motorcycle. I also have all my organs.

I used to have a motorbike - AND race them. The manner in which of a lot bikers 'ride' their machines on the roads these days, scares the living s**t out of me.

No matter how innocent the rider is, in an accident, the biker pays the price.! Too many SMIDSY's.

Reckless is far too mild a word.

 

[st13phil]

The manner in which of a lot bikers 'ride' their machines on the roads these days, scares the living s**t out of me.

I've ridden bikes every year for more than 30 years. I still ride, covering between 5k and 8k miles a year, mostly touring in continental Europe. Frankly the actions of some of the "weekend warriors" in the UK scare me sh#tless though and it's them that make life as a responsible rider more difficult for me as indicated by your "organ donors" remark, above.

BTW, I'm just putting the finishing touches to a touring holiday in Spain next year for my wife and I and four other couples

 

[JEZ.S320L]

.........BTW, I'm just putting the finishing touches to a touring holiday in Spain next year for my wife and I and four other couples ..........

A bit of advice - avoid Bank Holidays (German/Spanish) as 100's and 100's of German bikers head for the Med. Absolute idiots - each and every one of them! :roll:

 

[st13phil]

Thanks for the advice, I'm aware of that particular "gotcha" when it comes to riding in Spain and we're going in early September. We're keeping away from the Med too! FWIW, the itinerary (starting and ending at Bilbao) is the Paradors at Segovia / Plasencia / Cuenca / Alcaniz / Olite. My wife and I have previously stayed at Segovia, Cuenca and Olite; the other two are new to us. Hopefully we'll time it right for the Fiesta in Olite like we managed to 3 years ago.

BTW, which bit of Espana are you headed for? (just being nosey)