More than a third (36%) of 18-24 year old drivers have admitted to regularly speeding in a new survey.
In the survey, conducted by used car dealers The Car People, the percentage of young drivers admitting to the offence was considerably higher than those aged 25 years and over (22%).
The survey, which sampled 2000 UK drivers, also found that males are more likely to speed than women, with a quarter of men confessing to breaking the law on a regular basis.
In terms of mobile phones, 14% of 18-24 year olds admitted to ‘putting themselves in danger’ by talking on the phone while driving. This compared to 4% of those above that age bracket, while only 1.5% of those aged over 55 years admitted the offence.
Government figures show that during 2014, 2,088 young drivers and passengers aged between 17 and 24 years were killed or seriously injured (KSI). Drivers aged between 17 and 19 years make up just 1.5% of UK licence holders, but are involved in 9% of fatal crashes.
Despite being the ‘biggest risk takers’ on the road, the survey found the 18-24 age group to be the most ‘car proud’.
Other results from the survey include: 18% of women admit to never checking their brakes; and more than a third of respondents believe BMW drivers are the most dangerous.
As a general rule many drivers will break the law with regards to the recommended speed of the road. My daughter is one who believes that you won’t get done being 10% plus 2 mph, above the limit. That puts her speed as about or around 35 mph in town driving and an obviously increased speed of 80 mph or thereabouts on the motorway where 70 is the legal speed limit. Young people and some older drivers are aware that speedos are inaccurate and show a greater speed than what is actually being recorded on the speedo. They are also of the opinion that police and cameras will exercise a degree of discretion allowing for that discrepancy in inaccurate speedos. Rightly or wrongly.
R.Craven Blackpool
0
Although it’s not a scientific, or even a serious survey, it would neverthless be interesting – and no doubt argument provoking – to know which makes of car the remaining two-thirds thought had the ‘most dangerous drivers’ and also, which makes the BMW drivers themselves thought had the most dangerous. (I have one of the rarest cars on the road, so it won’t be mine!)
Hugh Jones
0