A new report by The Co-operative Insurance suggests driving lessons are failing to adequately prepare young drivers to face everyday challenges on Britain’s roads.
62% of young drivers between the ages of 18 and 30 would welcome a minimum learning period imposed on new drivers.
29% of newly qualified young drivers are too scared to ‘go it alone’ or drive at night and nearly half (48%) were not ready to drive on the motorway. One in seven (14%) young drivers claimed to be ‘unprepared’ to drive at all.
The findings of the report are published ahead of a Green Paper expected later this year which will outline Government plans on how to tackle safety issues of young drivers and rising insurance costs.
In 2011, 22% of road deaths involved young drivers.
Better preparing young drivers should be the main priority
Tom Jones, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at Thompsons Solicitors, said: “The Green Paper is expected to suggest a curfew limiting times young drivers are allowed to drive on the roads, but this report suggests it’s not the time of day that matters but confidence.
“If 29% of young drivers don’t want to tackle the roads at night time, an evening curfew won’t affect them. It won’t help those scared of motorways either let alone the 14% who have passed their test but feel unprepared to drive at all.
“Official figures show that drivers between 17 and 24 years account for a quarter of all deaths and serious injuries from road collisions. Action is clearly called for, but the survey shows what is needed is an imaginative, not a knee jerk, reaction from government.
“At Thompsons we have dealt with hundreds of road accident cases involving people of all ages, and better preparation of young drivers including more time for them to gain road confidence, rather than unrealistic restrictions as to where or when they can drive, chimes with our experience too”.
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