Skip to main content

Norway to address young male driver safety?

Safety campaigners in Norway are proposing a novel approach to cutting road accident levels. With data showing that young male drivers account for a disproportionately high number of accidents, calls are being made for increased regulations in order to boost safety. Those suggesting the changes believe that tougher rules for young male drivers in the 18-24 age group would reduce the number of traffic accidents.Norway's accident data reveals that of road accidents involving fatalities, young men are the driv
May 9, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
Safety campaigners in Norway are proposing a novel approach to cutting road accident levels. With data showing that young male drivers account for a disproportionately high number of accidents, calls are being made for increased regulations in order to boost safety. Those suggesting the changes believe that tougher rules for young male drivers in the 18-24 age group would reduce the number of traffic accidents.

Norway’s accident data reveals that of road accidents involving fatalities, young men are the drivers in 20% of accidents. The safety campaigners say that cars driven by men in the 18-24 age range should be equipped with an interlock device and have a built-in speed limiter. Young male drivers should also be prohibited from carrying passengers.

But according to the 5470 Norwegian Automobile Federation (NAF), these measures will have little impact. Instead emphasis should be on safer cars, improved road standards and information campaigns.

Norway’s road safety record is amongst the best in the world, due to a mixture of low traffic densities overall on the road network, good driver education and good vehicle condition. Other countries with good road safety standards, such as Sweden and the UK, have similar approaches to reducing accident levels. And in these countries too, the disparity of accidents involving young male drivers has been identified. But many other countries around the world have yet to tackle the specific problems to road safety caused by young males in the 18-24 age range, which is one reason why their road fatality rates will remain high.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Transforming bitumen for the future
    January 30, 2023
    It is easy to say that the road sector never changes, but the latest E&E Event, held last month suggests this is not true - Kristina Smith reports from Vienna
  • Climate change affects the road network
    November 5, 2019
    Climate change is affecting the road network, with increased risks of flooding and wear and tear adding to maintenance headaches.
  • Developments in tolling technology
    February 27, 2012
    Jason Barnes reviews the last few decades and the future of tolling technology. Tolling and charging technology has evolved significantly over the last three decades and that evolution is perhaps best illustrated by reductions in or complete removal of impedances to physical progress. Once, it was customary for a driver to pull up to a barrier, make some form of cash payment to a human operative in a booth, and then wait for the barrier to be raised before proceeding. Humans were eventually complemented and
  • Russia seeks outside investment in road building
    November 6, 2012
    The Russian road building industry is on the verge of big changes as it bids to improve quality and speed of construction says Eugene Gerden The Russian road building industry is on the verge of big changes as the national government considers creating conditions to attract foreign companies to build roads in the country. According to a recent order of President Vladimir Putin, due to poor quality and high cost of road construction, there is a need for the development of a mechanism to attract foreign compa