ABI offers tips for parents of young drivers
This week the Association of British Insurers (ABI) has released tips for parents of young drivers, as research conducted shows that 55% of young drivers are distracted while driving if they are carrying passengers, 45% by the scenery and 44% by the radio - while around a quarter said they would find acceptable to speed at night (24%) or on country roads (26%).
Last year there was much talk about placing strict limits on young drivers and those discussions look to be continuing. It's understandable when disturbingly the statistics point out that the single biggest cause of accidental death of young people aged 15-24 is getting in a car and dying in a crash. The Campaign for Safe Young Drivers wants radical change to the driving test system – to make the roads safer for under 25s and everyone else.
They would like to see:
But do stricter rules make for safer/better drivers? Some of these restrictions have already been enforced in about 15 American States such as forbidding teenagers from driving with another teenager; barring them from driving with more than one and restrict teens to driving in daylight hours only. Other states have implemented graduated driver’s licensing or increased the required amount of time for supervised driving before a full license is allowed. The toughest requirement in one State says that they must practice driving for 65 hours before obtaining a license. Some parents and teens feel that these restrictions are a step too far. Especially the recently upheld New Jersey law requiring drivers ages 16 to 21 to attach a red sticker to their license plates. The argument against this was the fear that young drivers would become more anxious paranoid driver's; making them less able to focus and the placement of a decal leading to unfair profiling from Law Enforcement.
Nonetheless, the strict regulations on young drivers have had a significant impact, reducing the number of fatal accidents in America and could prove the same here. What are your views on this?
To read the ABI's "Top tips for parents of young drivers", please click here.
Last year there was much talk about placing strict limits on young drivers and those discussions look to be continuing. It's understandable when disturbingly the statistics point out that the single biggest cause of accidental death of young people aged 15-24 is getting in a car and dying in a crash. The Campaign for Safe Young Drivers wants radical change to the driving test system – to make the roads safer for under 25s and everyone else.
They would like to see:
- One year minimum learning period
- Limiting the number of passengers allowed in a car with a new young driver
- Curfew on night time driving
- Zero tolerance on alcohol
But do stricter rules make for safer/better drivers? Some of these restrictions have already been enforced in about 15 American States such as forbidding teenagers from driving with another teenager; barring them from driving with more than one and restrict teens to driving in daylight hours only. Other states have implemented graduated driver’s licensing or increased the required amount of time for supervised driving before a full license is allowed. The toughest requirement in one State says that they must practice driving for 65 hours before obtaining a license. Some parents and teens feel that these restrictions are a step too far. Especially the recently upheld New Jersey law requiring drivers ages 16 to 21 to attach a red sticker to their license plates. The argument against this was the fear that young drivers would become more anxious paranoid driver's; making them less able to focus and the placement of a decal leading to unfair profiling from Law Enforcement.
Nonetheless, the strict regulations on young drivers have had a significant impact, reducing the number of fatal accidents in America and could prove the same here. What are your views on this?
To read the ABI's "Top tips for parents of young drivers", please click here.
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