Many new car deals have a focus on safety these days. ABS now comes as standard from most manufacturers, cars have plenty of airbags, while technicians have almost perfected new innovations such as radar-guided collision braking and lane warning systems.
However, there is no substitute for a conscientious and alert driver and a road safety group is asking whether or not we need to revise the standard driving test.
According to a survey by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM), 32 per cent of young drivers (aged 18-25) admit to breaking the laws of the road in the first few years following their driving test.
Furthermore, despite spending many weeks alongside a professional instructor to acquire their licence, the majority of young drivers (68 per cent) feel they still need need to improve, while a quarter of 18 to 25-year-olds admit to crashing.
Official road safety figures from the government support the notion that a new test is needed, despite the ever-improving safety of new cars. A fifth of people killed or seriously injured in road accidents in the UK were involved in a collision with a car driven by a young driver and the 32,400 recorded accidents involving at least one young car driver resulted in 350 deaths.
IAM chief executive Simon Best said: "This survey shows that younger drivers simply don't feel adequately prepared for independent driving. The current learning system is failing the next generation of motorists and there needs to be serious review.
"Early experience of a wide range of traffic conditions is vital but so is dealing with negative attitudes. This can be done most effectively through peer group discussions rather than just relying on stricter controls and curfews."
The IAM wants a new test for younger drivers that has a 12-month minimum learning period to build experience safely, a practical driving test that includes motorway driving and post-test assessment and training for everyone to guide them through the high-risk early months of solo driving.
Posted by Perry Murray