Attitude, not age, 'behind reckless driving'

Young motorists drive dangerously due to excitement about being on the road or to impress their peers, says a driving expert.

According to motoring body the AA, it is attitude rather than age that compromises the ability of young people at the wheel.

Andrew Howard, the organisation's head of road safety, suggested young people need to be told about the dangers of using a car as a means of self-expression.

"We need to be talking to people who are 13 and 14 about developing the right attitudes towards driving, not leaving it until [they're] 17," he noted.

Mr Howard pointed to a quote included in a piece of AA research suggesting young people drive dangerously not because they do not know any better, but because they choose to.

His comments follow the publication of statistics from The Co-operative and road safety charity Brake revealing that some 30 per cent of young drivers admit to dangerous or illegal driving.

A quarter of the young drivers surveyed owned up to driving a car without women's car insurance or any other policy, a valid MOT certificate or a driving licence.

The study revealed a particular problem with drivers using mobile phones, with more than four in ten (42 per cent) admitting to chatting or texting while at the wheel.

Despite such evidence of recklessness, Mr Howard believes more rigorous testing may not be the answer as this could encourage more unlicensed drivers to take to the road.

"We need to convince more people that a car is a very efficient and comfortable way of getting from point A to point B. It is not a method of self-expression," he concluded.

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