Experienced young drivers still take risks: report

Conducted with the RACV and the TAC, The Driver’s Seat II – Beyond the Early Driving Years compared the driving habits of 1000 23-24 year olds to earlier data recorded when they were 19-20.

Speeding was a major issue, with 12.2 per cent of those surveyed being caught over the limit at least four times, however speeding and driving without a seatbelt did decrease marginally over the four year period as drivers become more experienced.

Sixty percent of those surveyed had been in an accident since getting their license while 25 percent had been in two or more stacks.

Giving up the phone proved difficult, with 55 percent admitting to talking on a hand-held phone while driving, and two-thirds have driven while texting or when tired.

Drink driving became increasingly prevalent with age, increasing nine percent to 23 percent between the two survey periods. Around 20 percent admitted to driving over or near 0.05 in the past month.

The study found that young men were more likely to speed and drink drive while young women drive when tired more often.

The report suggested there was only a small downturn in overall unsafe driving from the ages of 19-20 to 23-24.

(with the Herald Sun)