Night Driving No Good For Young People

There is nothing quite like a night out at the pub with friends. A few drinks and a good long chat to set the world to rights and then off home at closing time. You may be sensible and decide not to drink and offer your friends a lift home. This is usually a good idea and often group members will take in turns to drive so the same person is not left out. However, it may not be so good if the driver is a young person. It seems that they are more likely to have an accident whilst driving late at night.

Driving at particularly dark times of the night can be a major hazard for young drivers, it has been claimed. The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has reported that hitting the road after last orders (23:00 BST) and before 01:00 BST results in 76 deaths and serious injuries to young motorists each weekend. This adds up to nearly 4000 potentially preventable deaths and injuries every year.

It may also mean an increase in premiums on car insurance policies. Insurance is usually high for young drivers and this sort of situation could make the price prohibitive. This could lead to young people driving without insurance which could be detrimental to other road users.

Speaking at a road safety conference, a representative of the ABI commented that driving with a group of friends, even when alcohol-free, can still be dangerous.

"A young driver with three or more passengers is three times as likely to be involved in a serious road accident," he said. Having people in the car can be a serious distraction especially if they have been drinking, even if you have had nothing to drink.

The most reasonable alternative would be to share a taxi. Although expensive the cost can be reduced if it is split equally between all riders and not left to the last person. The price of a taxi home can be budgeted for before the evening starts and perhaps the money could be left with a responsible member of the group so it doesn’t get accidentally spent on the last round.

If you would like to know more about driving why not ask AnswerBank Motoring.