Curfew call over 
young drivers in bid to cut deaths

A survey published today by the Association of British Insurers has named three of the county’s parliamentary constituencies as the worst nationally for the number of young drivers killed or seriously injured in road accidents.

The Thirsk and Malton constituency is the most dangerous for motorists under 25 with 287 serious injuries or deaths since 2005, while Richmond saw 267 and Skipton and Ripon a total of 217. The Selby and Ainsty constituency ranks in 10th place in the national league table with 184 serious injuries or fatalities in the same period.

The ABI has urged Ministers to consider measures including a one-year minimum learning period and a limit to the number of passengers allowed in a car with a new young driver. The most controversial proposals are, however, a curfew on night-time driving and a zero tolerance approach to alcohol for motorists under 25.

The ABI’s head of motor insurance, James Dalton, said North Yorkshire’s extensive network of rural roads was to blame for the county being named as the worst location for deaths and serious injuries among young drivers.

He said: “The crash risk for young drivers on North Yorkshire roads is far too high. Radical action is needed to help young drivers in the county better deal with the dangers of driving on Yorkshire’s rural roads.

“This is why we are urging the Government to adopt our ‘tough love’ proposals, such as a minimum learning period and graduated licenses with restrictions on driving at night and carrying young passengers, to ensure that today’s young drivers become the safer drivers of tomorrow. And of course, improving young driver safety will lead to lower motor insurance premiums for young drivers.”

Research has shown only one in eight of the UK’s licence holders is under 25, yet one in three motorists who die is under 25. Other data has revealed a driver aged 18 is more than three times as likely to be involved in a crash as a 48-year-old, while one in five newly-qualified motorists has an accident within six months of passing their test. But North Yorkshire’s road safety experts claimed there has been a dramatic reduction in the number of young motorists killed or seriously injured. North Yorkshire County Council figures show collisions involving drivers aged 16 to 25 have fallen by 42 per cent since 2005.

Assistant Chief Constable Iain Spittal, the 95 Alive Road Safety Partnership’s chairman, said: “Significant progress in reducing casualties among the young drivers’ age group has been made over the last seven years and this work will continue. However, just one person killed or seriously injured is one too many and the numbers of young people involved in collisions on our roads remains too high.”

The Department for Transport said improving the safety and ability of young drivers is a “key priority”. A spokeswoman added: “We will consider carefully any ideas that reduce the risks of accidents involving young drivers.”