|
Many of us tend to think that we are immortal,
particularly when we are young, and that accidents are things that happen
to other people, but the truth is somewhat harder to accept so here are a
few hard and cold statistics that prove otherwise!
Firstly; out of every new driver who passes a driving test, 20%, that
means that one in five, will have an accident within six months.
A driver under the age of 25 has about three times the chance of dying in
a road accident than someone over the age of 40.
A young male driver has about five times the chance of dying in a road
accident than a young female driver; not because males are worst drivers
and females but because young males have high levels of testosterone and
young females do not!
The chance of a young driver having an accident between midnight and 5
a.m. at a weekend is around 15 times the rate at other times.
If you are female your car
insurance premiums are usually lower than those for a male of the same age
and driving experience! Click here for
female car
insurance.
A young male driver is 1 1/2 times as likely as a young female driver to
fail a breathalyser test.
Young drivers are five times more likely to be involved in a crash
involving death or serious injury if they are carrying passengers.
Teenage passengers are around three times more likely to be killed in car
accidents and passengers in other age groups.
It is being argued that we live in a nanny state and people are
discouraged from taking any risks whatsoever which is taking all the fun
out of life. There is perhaps a lot of justification for this point of
view but life is far more enjoyable when we have not suffered serious
injuries, perhaps worse still, cause them, or even death, for other
people. A few simple guidelines can greatly increase our chances of
surviving to reach the grand old age of 25 plus, and these are to avoid
believing that we are superb drivers from the moment we pass our driving
tests, refrain from showing off in front of our friends when we are in
control of cars, avoiding the dangerous hours in the early morning or at
weekends, and being extra cautious if we are driving with passengers, or
if we are passengers ourselves. Driving under the influence of drugs or
any alcohol at all is irresponsible whether the driver is 19 or 90, but it
is just as well to realise that to the 19-year-old who has had little
experience of driving even a half of lager can make all that difference
between a great night out and a mortuary slab when split second reactions
are required. |