Young Drivers Insurance

Why are Young UK Drivers so Accident Prone?

Statistics have repeatedly supported the theory that UK drivers, under the age of twenty five, have a far higher risk of being in a car accident than those over twenty five. There are many different factors that contribute to these numbers but most of the time young drivers lack the ability to comprehend which types of situations make them at higher risk, and he or she fails to take measures, to minimize the potential problems.


Inexperience is one of the key issues. Young driver are unsure of themselves, making them react somewhat slower than their older counterparts. Since they have not experienced different driving situations, which people often find themselves in, they have not established standards of response. An example is a car that quickly changes lanes, leaving remarkably little room to stop; a young driver, who has not experienced this problem enough times, can have difficulty dealing with the situation. Most of us automatically slow down, because we know that we cannot stop the other driver. An inexperienced driver does not anticipate such moves and does not slow down, or brakes too quickly, causing the car to slide. Worse yet, he or she panics and does not stop, or slow down, and hits the car.

Lack of Attention

Another problem that is common with young drivers is inattention. Younger drivers tend to travel with friends. They do this, through car-pooling to school and work, or going out for the night. Having one or more passengers in the car and chatting with them, is distracting. This  situation can be very problematic for the younger drivers because they are more likely to get distracted. Also, their driving skills are limited so they have a greater need to concentrate on what they are doing, rather than participating in the conversation. Younger drivers tend to turn their head and look back at the passengers, when talking which results in their eyes getting taken off the road and these situations create distractions that tax the limited skills of the teenage driver. Worse yet, the young driver can end up running off the road, failing to stop for an obstacle or car in front of them, or committing other errors that end up causing them to have an accident.

Excessive Speed

Speeding is a significant problem among the young. They do not seem to comprehend that they do not possess the skills needed to drive a car, at a high rate of speed. To compound the problem, teenagers tend to feel the need to show off for friends, by speeding. The reaction time needed, to drive a car at a high rate of speed, is intense. In addition, the driver must be experienced enough to understand how the car reacts, when speeding. The drive needs to be able to anticipate and react to changing road conditions. Teenage drivers have usually gained none of these skills to any great degree and consequently they suffer from higher crash rates, related to speeding.

Faulty Cars

The type of cars which teenagers driver can be a contributing factor to their increased accident rate. Generally, the driver gets a used car. Not all parents think to have the used car thoroughly inspected; and some serious issues may go unattended. Worn brakes and suspensions can cause cars to act in ways that are not expected and when combined with driver inexperience, they became a recipe for disaster. Other potential problems can include impaired vision, from cracked windshields and old windshield wipers may not function properly in foul weather.

Driving Late at Night

Late-night driving is common among younger drivers. This creates another hazard and late-night driving has also been shown to considerably increase the number of teenage accidents. Vision is decreased; road hazards are not so obvious; the driver is sometimes tired, and in a hurry, to get home. These conditions can make it difficult for the most experienced drivers and a younger driver can get into trouble very easily under these conditions. Add to the mix foul weather, an old car, and two or three additional passengers, and the odds of an accident happening increase drastically.


When it comes to understanding how a car reacts, in various situations, young drivers have not had enough varieties of driving experiences to develop appropriate instinctive responses. They tend to be overconfident, in their driving abilities. It has been estimated that on average this overconfidence becomes more apparent, about a year after the young driver has obtained a full licence They become comfortable in their abilities, yet do not comprehend that they have much to learn. This overconfidence makes them less diligent, while driving and they begin to do things, such as talk on the phone while driving, that distracts them. They also become more aggressive, and take unnecessary risk, such as speeding, cutting in and out of traffic, and performing other high risk manoeuvres.


Whilst examining how various conditions affect the younger driver, it is easy to understand why the accident rate is greater but there are actions young drivers can take to decrease their risks. One of the most salient is driver education; there are many different companies that take driving far beyond the basic driver education format. They help teach drivers, of any age, how to respond to different driving conditions, such as foul weather, high speeds, and other common hazards. They teach defensive driving techniques, which give drivers the skills they need. Not least of all, if the youngster successfully completes a Pass Plus course, insurance costs should fall!

Good, thorough car inspections and maintenance will eliminate most potential car problems related to performance failure.

While all problems cannot be eliminated, many of them can be addressed and taking steps to decrease these risks can make the difference between safe driving and disaster.


Compare prices from young drivers specialists

Go Compare's comparison site lets you compare the prices from many of the UK's top insurers (some of them accept monthly payments if you're 18+) but they don't just find you the lowest price on offer from them but they also let you compare the different policy features too so you can see how much you can save by accepting a higher excess, lower mileage, etc. Sometimes these can make a considerable difference to premiums.

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