Young Drivers

***Mr D*** · 24-01-2007, 14:28

There is talk of changing/extending driving tests for young drivers.

The artical.

It is a sobering statistic early in a new year, but, on recent form, more than a thousand young drivers will be killed or seriously injured in the course of 2007. The accident rate for young drivers, especially young male drivers, is wildly disproportionate when compared with older motorists, and still striking when contrasted with women of the same age.

Furthermore, the greater the number of young people travelling together as driver and passengers, the more likely is the chance of an accident when compared with an older group of people. Speed is often the cause of tragedy, but it is sometimes just a matter of inexperience. New drivers are often unfamiliar with the road at night and have no notion of operating on a motorway until first setting out on their own.

This is not acceptable. Stephen Ladyman, the Road Safety Minister, is right to contend, as he does in his interview with The Times today, that more rules need to be imposed. In Britain new motorists “first pass the test, then learn to drive”. The current driving test rewards young men for being technically competent enough to manage the requirements asked, but ignores that their attitudes might be quite inappropriate for the road. Overseas experience suggests that it is possible to cut the number of deaths and accidents substantially if a fresh approach is taken.

Ministers appear to be open-minded on what strategy is best. The Department for Transport is, nevertheless, interested in a “deal” under which young people start learning to drive at an earlier age — perhaps 16 — but must record many more hours behind the wheel (100 or more) before being permitted to take their test. Sweden has adopted this formula and has far lower fatalities and injuries as a result.

There are, nevertheless, some difficulties with this. At present rates, anyone learning to drive with a professional instructor will pay far more to acquire his or her licence if the 100-hour norm is accepted. That prospect might lead teenagers to look to friends and relatives to teach them rather than to those better qualified.

This might be averted if driving could be integrated into the school curriculum, but it is hard to imagine how this might be done at the moment, given the many demands on the crowded timetable. There is also the real risk that driving records could be faked. Other options should be considered.

There are a number of possibilities. These include making the present test much harder, so that failure at the first attempt is the acknowledged norm. In Germany, young people can hold a licence at 17 but cannot drive alone until 18. Other countries impose night-time curfews on young drivers or limit the number of passengers they can carry. All of these schemes deserve serious investigation. Pilot projects should be contemplated. Britain cannot continue with the status quo.
After the age of 25, British drivers are as safe as those in other countries. Fatalities are concen-trated at the young end of the age spectrum. It should not be assumed that teenage males, in particular, have a “right to drive” when they are doing so much damage to themselves, their passengers and those who have the misfortune to share the road with them. The combination of more hours behind the wheel before being allowed to go solo, a more robust test and greater restrictions on young men might be sensible. Something must be done.

I think there are some good ideas. Something needs to be done.

Maybe limit the types of car Power / Age also.

They should also incorrparate something for the insurance (Had to chav.

) as it is very had for a new / young drivers to afford insurance.

WillowTheWhisp · 24-01-2007, 14:39

I think not carrying other teenage passengers is a good one. Also having an older driver with them until they gain more experience, especially on motorways where they have never been before they passed their test.

tadah · 24-01-2007, 14:47

I think the main thing to get over to younger drivers is speed awareness. Im only 23 and id say i was a young driver. When i was 18 to 21 ish i had the stereotypical modified car which id spent thousands on. Id speed yes but not round town centres or doing 120 on motorways etc. Id say i was a good driver for my age as ive never had a crash and im now employed as a driver. So not all young drivers are idoits but there is a problem.

entwisi · 24-01-2007, 14:47

On bikes, you can't go over a certain power/size for a period after your test. There is also an age stepped restriction on learning to ride big bikes.

At the end of the day, bikes and cars are exciting to most young lads. Its been driven into them that fast cars and bikes are cool, they don't see cars as transport like young girls(in the majority you feminists!

) do, they see them as some expression of their macho image. Its this fundamental aspect of car ownership that skews the figures so much, nowt to do with driving ability.

chav1 · 24-01-2007, 14:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by ***Mr D***

these include making the present test much harder, so that failure at the first attempt is the acknowledged norm

this annoys the hell out of me basicly because at £55 i think it is a test peopel can not afford to fail , if they expect you to fail the first test then it should be free - yet another tax for motorists

dont forget you may have your license now but 6 points in 2 years and anyone looses their license now not just new drivers if i am correct and has to re take a test which the govenment are thinking to make so difficult you fail the forst time

they aleady added a theory test - yep another cash earner from teh motorist , while it is good to know the highway code there is no need to have to travel to preston and click a few mouse buttons at about £25 i think it was a go

i agree young drivers shoud be limited to maximum 1 liter vehicles then that way with all the extra fins and spolers etc they wont be able to break speed limits

NO they shoudl not make insurance unnafordable there is enough folk driving around without insurance as it is and besides with the prospect of getting a REAL job after leaving school insurance is probably unaffordable to young people alread

good to see the govrenment yet again using statistics as an excuse to screw motorists in one way or another

what about getting the elderly off teh roads they are just as much a danger to anyone as a young driver is

over to you Mr D lol

***Mr D*** · 24-01-2007, 14:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by chav1

this annoys the hell out of me basicly because at £55 i think it is a test peopel can not afford to fail , if they expect you to fail the first test then it should be free - yet another tax for motorists

dont forget you may have your license now but 6 points in 2 years and anyone looses their license now not just new drivers if i am correct and has to re take a test which the govenment are thinking to make so difficult you fail the forst time

they aleady added a theory test - yep another cash earner from teh motorist , while it is good to know the highway code there is no need to have to travel to preston and click a few mouse buttons at about £25 i think it was a go

i agree young drivers shoud be limited to maximum 1 liter vehicles then that way with all the extra fins and spolers etc they wont be able to break speed limits

NO they shoudl not make insurance unnafordable there is enough folk driving around without insurance as it is and besides with the prospect of getting a REAL job after leaving school insurance is probably unaffordable to young people alread

good to see the govrenment yet again using statistics as an excuse to screw motorists in one way or another

what about getting the elderly off teh roads they are just as much a danger to anyone as a young driver is

over to you Mr D lol

I agree with most of that.

It is a problem that needs looking at a 17yr male in BB post code is paying on average £2000 + to insure a car.

If they brough some new test in at an extra cost then on completion of this test I feel insurance companies should give a sizable discount to offset the extra cost.

A bit like the 'Pass Plus' at the moment but a bit more indepth.

That way its all round worth it.

entwisi · 24-01-2007, 15:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by chav1

dont forget you may have your license now but 6 points in 2 years and anyone looses their license now not just new drivers if i am correct and has to re take a test which the govenment are thinking to make so difficult you fail the forst time

Nope, its 12 points over 3 years to get a 12 month ban, no retest unless ordered by a magistrate or judge during a dangerous driving charge.

Fliipin heck Chav, at this rate of sensationlism you'll be offered a job on teh NOTW before long

chav1 · 24-01-2007, 15:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by entwisi

Fliipin heck Chav, at this rate of sensationlism you'll be offered a job on teh NOTW before long

whats that then ?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ***Mr D***

I agree with most of that.

dont do that it kinda creeps me out

entwisi · 24-01-2007, 15:29

whats what, MOTW or a job?

chav1 · 24-01-2007, 15:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by entwisi

whats what, MOTW or a job?

i have a job thankyou

garinda · 24-01-2007, 15:36

Why should a young driver spend two grand on insurance?

If caught, Hyndburn Magistrates will only slap them with a £200 fine at the most.

tadah · 24-01-2007, 15:37

They wont resrict power or engine size i dont think. Would be funny though to see poor little rich girls/boys with millions having to drive puntos etc.