The RAC Foundation has today issued data on the human cost of car crashes involving young drivers, covering 49 areas across Britain and highlighting significant regional variations.
From the data, rural areas seem to be particularly prone to the impact of young, inexperienced drivers on road traffic accidents, with Wales signally marked by this phenomenon, and Scotland in the second worst rank alongside Cumbria and Cornwall.
Key overall facts are:
- Nearly one in eight (11.9%) of all road casualties are hurt or killed in collisions involving a car driver aged 17-19.
- Yet 17-19 year-olds make up only 1.5% of licensed drivers.
- The proportion of casualties is highest in Dyfed Powys in Wales – at almost one in five [18.2%].
- This is followed by Gwent [17%], Cumbria and North Wales [15.8%], Northern and Grampian [15.7%] and Cornwall [15.5%].
- London had the smallest proportion [5.6%].
The data analysis has been done by the Transport Research Laboratory [TRL] and is published in a report commissioned by the RAC Foundation.
TRL also made a conservative estimate of what the reduction in casualties would be in each area if a system of graduated driving licensing [GDL] was introduced.
Based on the experience of other countries where GDL is in operation, the report authors concludes that, across Britain, about 4,500 fewer people would be hurt in an average year. This includes about 430 people who would otherwise have been killed or seriously injured.
The Graduated Driving Licence proposition
Graduated Driving Licence schemes - along with other possible measure [like a minimum learner period and lower alcohol limit for new drivers] – typically place temporary restrictions on newly qualified young drivers in the first few months after they pass their tests.
The aim of GDL is to limit young drivers’ exposure to risk until they have gained experience, so the restrictions appllied can include a limit on the number of young passengers they can carry and a late night curfew.
Currently one in five young drivers will have an accident within six months of passing their test. Novice young drivers are at particular risk because of both their lack of experience [which affects new drivers of all ages to some degree] and the biological and behavioural characteristics of youth.
Professor Stephen Glaister, director of the RAC Foundation, says: ‘Whichever way you cut it young drivers pose a significant and disproportionate risk to themselves and to others and it is in rural areas where the casualty rate is highest.
The government has repeatedly delayed announcing its strategy to help reduce young driver accidents but here is yet another piece of evidence which shows graduated licensing can significantly cut death and injury.
‘The frustration is that while ministers here prevaricate, action is being taken just across the Irish Sea. Earlier this month a bill was put before the Northern Ireland Assembly which proposes the introduction of many of the measures this government appears to have ruled out.
‘We should all have an interest in preserving young drivers’ lives rather than exposing them to undue risk at the stage of their driving careers where they are most vulnerable. This is about ensuring their long term safety and mobility – not curtailing it. ‘
David Stewart’s response – the cost to life and to the economy
Road safety campaigner and Highlands and Islands Labour MSP, David Stewart, finds the results of this research ‘very alarming with regards to the North and the North East of Scotland’.
Mr Stewart says: ‘These statistics show clearly that this area has the highest proportion of collision involving young drivers aged 17-19 in Scotland.
‘For over four years now I have been trying to persuade Government and other organisations, that the introduction of a form of graduated licence is the only way we are really going to reduce serious injury and fatal road collisions involving our young road users.
‘It is interesting that if we had a system of graduated licence in existence, then we could reduce road casualties by 13 per year in the North and North East and save over £3 million to the economy.
‘Back in 2010 when we started down our route of trying to get a graduated licence introduced we were fortunate to team up with Dr Sarah Jones from Cardiff University in Wales. She studied road collisions in Scotland as a whole and her studies showed that if a Graduated Licence were to be introduced in Scotland alone, up to 22 lives per year could be saved and up to £22 million to the economy’.
‘As far as I am my team are concerned this is a no brainer and we all need to keep the pressure on the UK Government to make a positive move and introduce a form of graduated licence’.