Skip to main content

Young drivers pose biggest road safety risk

Research published by the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) reinstates past reports that young drivers continue to represent the biggest road safety challenge in terms of crash risk. Meanwhile older drivers are characterised in as being more cautious and able to adapt their driving styles in response to reduced driving-related capabilities. This process is referred to as “self-regulation”. However, whilst collision rates of older drivers may generally be low, the analyses of injury statistics in Great Bri
December 11, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
Research published by the Transport Research Laboratory (777 TRL) reinstates past reports that young drivers continue to represent the biggest road safety challenge in terms of crash risk. Meanwhile older drivers are characterised in as being more cautious and able to adapt their driving styles in response to reduced driving-related capabilities. This process is referred to as “self-regulation”. However, whilst collision rates of older drivers may generally be low, the analyses of injury statistics in Great Britain (Lang, 2015) and other countries (OECD, 2001; Hakamies-Blomqvist, 1993; McGwin & Brown, 1999; Clarke, 2010) consistently find specific patterns of collisions for older drivers. This study sheds light on a process described as being effective in limiting older drivers’ collision involvement, but which is only poorly understand. The report posed the question how far a lack of calibration is a problem for young and older drivers. This can suggest measures that may improve the performance of older drivers through training.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • The global road safety crisis needs to be addressed
    October 12, 2017
    The global road casualty rate continues to climb as motorisation levels grow and is particularly acute in the developing world. Developing countries suffer from a particularly high rate of crashes and around 90% of road fatalities. The impact, both in economic and human terms, is unsustainable. These countries cannot afford the loss to their economies of the young and economically active.
  • Making roads safer for the young
    February 27, 2018
    Children are at serious risk on Europe’s road network. This is the finding of a new report from the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC). According to the ETSC’s analysis of crash data, more than 8,000 children aged 0-14 years have been killed in road traffic collisions over the last 10 years in the European Union. Half of the children killed were travelling in cars, a third were walking and 13% were cycling, with one in every 13 child deaths in the European Union being the result of a road collision.
  • UK trialling hazard warning technology
    November 26, 2024
    Results from a project by the UK’s department of transport and AECOM – using Heads-Up technology from Acusensus, has underlined scale of distracted driving and lack of seatbelt use.
  • Malaysia’s road safety problem needs addressing
    February 2, 2017
    Malaysia’s road safety problem is a cause for concern. The country’s Transport Ministry has revealed data showing that in 2016, Malaysia figured amongst the countries with the highest rate of road fatalities. The figures show that for every 10,000 registered motor vehicles on Malaysia’s roads, there were 2.55 deaths. One new strategy intended to address the problem being launched by the Transport Ministry is the Malaysia-wide National Blue Ocean Strategy Road Safety Cluster. Meanwhile the Safe Kids Mala