Young Drivers

A. Young drivers are often over represented in all facets of road fatalities. Though young drivers make up only 15 per cent of all drivers in NSW, they equate for around 36 per cent of all annual road fatalities, a staggering percentage. Outlined are some current road statistics and trends associated with young drivers.

Speeding:

- The biggest killer of young drivers is speeding

- Around 80 per cent of those killed in speeding accidents are male.

- In 2008, nearly a third of all speeding drivers and motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes were males aged 17-25.

- In 2008, only six per cent of speeding drivers and motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes were females aged 17-25.

Drink Driving:

- Drink driving is a factor in about one in every five crashes in NSW where someone loses their life.

- Of the people who are killed in drink driving accidents, 88 per cent are men and 75 per cent are under the age of 40.

- 30% of all fatal drink driving crashes occur between the hours of 9pm and 3am on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

- One third of all drink drivers in fatal accidents are aged 17-24 years.

Driver Fatigue;

- You’re four times more likely to have a fatal fatigue crash if you’re driving between 10pm and dawn.

- Driving while sleep deprived, especially late at night and at dawn, increases the risk of having a ‘microsleep’ and losing control of your vehicle.

- In 2008, fatigue was involved in 16% of fatal crashes.

- Of fatigued drivers/riders involved in single vehicle crashes 75.5 per cent were male and 35.1 per cent were young people between 17 and 24 years of age

Occupant restraints;

- On average, 35% of all drivers and passengers killed and 12% of vehicle occupants seriously injured are not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.

- In 2009, 66 per cent of those killed or injured whilst driving without a seatbelt on were male.

Road fatalities and crashes;

- Road crashes are the biggest killer of young people...