The problem of young male drivers
Discussion
We all know that according to the stats, the highest risk drivers are young males and that this is not so much because of their lack of car control skills or even inexperience, since both those factors applies to all new drivers, including young females. No, the primary risk factor is their attitude to risk, coupled with the need to prove themselves, especially amongst their peer group.
This being the case and since our son is home from Uni at present (and has his 21st birthday this week) I asked him for his views on what, practically, could be done to improve matters. He’s raced karts since about 12, was driving on private tracks since before his 17th birthday and could barely wait to get on the road. I did most of the driving tuition, trying to ensure he understood the fundamentals of advanced driving, while a driving instructor prepared him for the test itself. Once he’d passed (2nd attempt), he took his Pass Plus and then bought a Ford Ka with his savings and we waited to see how many advanced skills had sunk in!
Now, I would describe our son as an intelligent and responsible(ish) young person but I’d guess that many of us only have to think back to when we were that age to shudder at the risks we took! He has survived his first 4 years of driving with two or three minor mishaps but no serious incidents. They were mishaps, however, that his older sister avoided in her driving career and they stemmed from a mixture of inexperience (failing to anticipate other drivers’ mistakes) and pushing his / his car’s limits. I was also fairly shocked to hear of some of the near misses he had had in his first year of driving, typically when having a go with friends, rather than aggressive driving towards other road users.
So what would he, as a mature 21 year old, suggest should be done? Firstly, he doesn’t see putting the driving age up to 21 as an option: young people need mobility just as much as the rest of us. What could be done, however, is to broaden the driving instruction and the test to include modules on driver attitudes and risk management. At present, the curriculum covers only basic driving skills and the highway code. There is nothing at all about how accidents happen, the importance of being aware of your own attitude as a driver towards other road users or awareness of those factors that influence a young person to take risks, such as showing off to mates or taking (imagined) offence at other drivers. In other words, the psychology of driving. (Did I mention that he’s a psychology student?) Young people (men) need to be made aware of these things and also of the consequences of aggressive driving in terms of the financial and emotional costs of getting it wrong.
Obviously, this will not fix the problem but it does strike me as positive step forward that could save some tragedies. Personally, I wonder if 18 isn’t a better age to start driving that 17 but I wouldn’t have thought so at the time!
What do people think?
This being the case and since our son is home from Uni at present (and has his 21st birthday this week) I asked him for his views on what, practically, could be done to improve matters. He’s raced karts since about 12, was driving on private tracks since before his 17th birthday and could barely wait to get on the road. I did most of the driving tuition, trying to ensure he understood the fundamentals of advanced driving, while a driving instructor prepared him for the test itself. Once he’d passed (2nd attempt), he took his Pass Plus and then bought a Ford Ka with his savings and we waited to see how many advanced skills had sunk in!
Now, I would describe our son as an intelligent and responsible(ish) young person but I’d guess that many of us only have to think back to when we were that age to shudder at the risks we took! He has survived his first 4 years of driving with two or three minor mishaps but no serious incidents. They were mishaps, however, that his older sister avoided in her driving career and they stemmed from a mixture of inexperience (failing to anticipate other drivers’ mistakes) and pushing his / his car’s limits. I was also fairly shocked to hear of some of the near misses he had had in his first year of driving, typically when having a go with friends, rather than aggressive driving towards other road users.
So what would he, as a mature 21 year old, suggest should be done? Firstly, he doesn’t see putting the driving age up to 21 as an option: young people need mobility just as much as the rest of us. What could be done, however, is to broaden the driving instruction and the test to include modules on driver attitudes and risk management. At present, the curriculum covers only basic driving skills and the highway code. There is nothing at all about how accidents happen, the importance of being aware of your own attitude as a driver towards other road users or awareness of those factors that influence a young person to take risks, such as showing off to mates or taking (imagined) offence at other drivers. In other words, the psychology of driving. (Did I mention that he’s a psychology student?) Young people (men) need to be made aware of these things and also of the consequences of aggressive driving in terms of the financial and emotional costs of getting it wrong.
Obviously, this will not fix the problem but it does strike me as positive step forward that could save some tragedies. Personally, I wonder if 18 isn’t a better age to start driving that 17 but I wouldn’t have thought so at the time!
What do people think?
When I launched this thread I wondered if anyone would find it interesting but thought I might get a few comments from the usual suspects! Instead, it’s generated lots of really thoughtful and helpful contributions from young PHers, which is brilliant.
There seems to be broad agreement that attitude is indeed a major issue for young male drivers, albeit with notable exceptions (and fully recognising that bad attitude is not limited to young male drivers!). Opinions on just what can be done about this vary but if I can attempt to summarise:
• The current driving test is inadequate. As well as speed restricted urban driving it needs to test open road driving (including overtaking) and motorways (or at least multi-lane dual carriageways).
• Ideally there should be graduated tests, not unlike the bike test with basic training leading on to a more advanced but compulsory standard before a driver has complete freedom of the road.
• Education, including shock tactics to ram home the consequences of an accident and the responsibility of being in charge of a ton of metal would help.
• No one seems to want to see the starting age for driving raised.
• Curfews for young drivers were considered unfair and largely unenforceable, albeit limitations on passengers to reduce peer pressure received some support.
• More traffic police would help to identify and act on bad driving and would reduce the expectation on the part of drivers that they will not be caught.
• Removal of an offender’s car for a limited period was suggested.
I’m sure I’ve missed a few points but to add a couple more:
Most young drivers are on the financial limit, especially when it comes to insurance, so typically they’re on third party fire and theft. Do they realise just how disastrous a crash will be in terms of either repair costs and/or insurance premiums? They should be told!
Virtually no new drivers (in fact very few drivers of any description) have experienced just how hard it is to stop a car from speed, especially if they also need to steer around an obstacle. Their only experience is the driving test emergency stop from about 20mph. I suspect this gives a false sense of security since it’s an easy manoeuvre in a modern car in a straight line. In comparison, an old Fiesta (or whatever), stopping hard from 60mph four up with tired dampers, budget tyres and no ABS on a wet road is a very different proposition. But no new driver will have experienced anything like this until it happens for real. The ensuing loss of control is then inevitable and it becomes a matter of luck whether they hit a tree, another road user or just a hedge. Bikers get to learn on private tracks where they can make mistakes safely; why not car drivers? My point is not that they must develop car control skills to equal Sebastien Loeb, rather that they should have some basis to understand that they are not God’s gift to driving and that there are potential consequences to travelling faster than they can stop (in the space they can see to be clear, etc). As one poster said, there's no evidence that those young drivers who have more developed skills through motorsport activities are safer on the road. (Not if my son's anything to go by. Cars don't actually handle like karts, whatever magazine road testers might say ...)
Finally, I caught an unusually good government TV ad the other evening featuring a biker going out for a ride and highlighting the potential hazards that, while not in any way his fault, could catch him out. These included spilt diesel, tractor pulling out of a blind field entrance, etc. As a cost effective starter, could we not do something similar to be distributed on DVD to all newly qualified drivers?
There seems to be broad agreement that attitude is indeed a major issue for young male drivers, albeit with notable exceptions (and fully recognising that bad attitude is not limited to young male drivers!). Opinions on just what can be done about this vary but if I can attempt to summarise:
• The current driving test is inadequate. As well as speed restricted urban driving it needs to test open road driving (including overtaking) and motorways (or at least multi-lane dual carriageways).
• Ideally there should be graduated tests, not unlike the bike test with basic training leading on to a more advanced but compulsory standard before a driver has complete freedom of the road.
• Education, including shock tactics to ram home the consequences of an accident and the responsibility of being in charge of a ton of metal would help.
• No one seems to want to see the starting age for driving raised.
• Curfews for young drivers were considered unfair and largely unenforceable, albeit limitations on passengers to reduce peer pressure received some support.
• More traffic police would help to identify and act on bad driving and would reduce the expectation on the part of drivers that they will not be caught.
• Removal of an offender’s car for a limited period was suggested.
I’m sure I’ve missed a few points but to add a couple more:
Most young drivers are on the financial limit, especially when it comes to insurance, so typically they’re on third party fire and theft. Do they realise just how disastrous a crash will be in terms of either repair costs and/or insurance premiums? They should be told!
Virtually no new drivers (in fact very few drivers of any description) have experienced just how hard it is to stop a car from speed, especially if they also need to steer around an obstacle. Their only experience is the driving test emergency stop from about 20mph. I suspect this gives a false sense of security since it’s an easy manoeuvre in a modern car in a straight line. In comparison, an old Fiesta (or whatever), stopping hard from 60mph four up with tired dampers, budget tyres and no ABS on a wet road is a very different proposition. But no new driver will have experienced anything like this until it happens for real. The ensuing loss of control is then inevitable and it becomes a matter of luck whether they hit a tree, another road user or just a hedge. Bikers get to learn on private tracks where they can make mistakes safely; why not car drivers? My point is not that they must develop car control skills to equal Sebastien Loeb, rather that they should have some basis to understand that they are not God’s gift to driving and that there are potential consequences to travelling faster than they can stop (in the space they can see to be clear, etc). As one poster said, there's no evidence that those young drivers who have more developed skills through motorsport activities are safer on the road. (Not if my son's anything to go by. Cars don't actually handle like karts, whatever magazine road testers might say ...)
Finally, I caught an unusually good government TV ad the other evening featuring a biker going out for a ride and highlighting the potential hazards that, while not in any way his fault, could catch him out. These included spilt diesel, tractor pulling out of a blind field entrance, etc. As a cost effective starter, could we not do something similar to be distributed on DVD to all newly qualified drivers?
[quote=Deniz.S]Hey Bruce,
You may not recognise the name but I'm your next door neighbour with the BMW, we had a chat recently about the incident with your broken window
... By the way, your sons mini sounds great!
Well, Hi Deniz: small world! I guess it's an alternative to chatting over the garden fence. (not sure all our neighbours agree about the Mini!)
I think the six points threshold for the first year of driving does have some effect especially if, as with yourself, you lose three of them. That must really focus the mind. As has been said, however, there's no simple solution to what is a fundamental characteristic of the human, and especially male, psyche: the urge to prove oneself and to take risks. Rather, it's a case of doing what one can to improve attitudes to driving through a mix of education and training, shock tactics and penalties.
However, people will only ever have a limited commitment to measures that are enforced with a big stick. They might comply because they have no choice but they won't believe in it. Somehow we need to elevate the image of driving to the point where everyone recognises that the test is the most basic starting point and that failure to achieve a more advanced level within, say, two years is actually rather shameful. How do we do that? Answers on a post card, please!
However, we could start with schools and colleges. Everyone responds to positive feedback and encouragement, so where are the 'New Driver of the Year' competitions, complete with local rounds, regional semi finals and a UK wide final event, all with schools and colleges fully involved. It might start to generate some awareness of the issues and would put advanced driving on the curriculum. Not in school time, necessarily, but I suspect that this is one extra curriculum activity that would interest 17/18 year olds and just might start a more positive outlook towards young drivers.
Anyway, just a thought!
You may not recognise the name but I'm your next door neighbour with the BMW, we had a chat recently about the incident with your broken window
... By the way, your sons mini sounds great!
Well, Hi Deniz: small world! I guess it's an alternative to chatting over the garden fence. (not sure all our neighbours agree about the Mini!)
I think the six points threshold for the first year of driving does have some effect especially if, as with yourself, you lose three of them. That must really focus the mind. As has been said, however, there's no simple solution to what is a fundamental characteristic of the human, and especially male, psyche: the urge to prove oneself and to take risks. Rather, it's a case of doing what one can to improve attitudes to driving through a mix of education and training, shock tactics and penalties.
However, people will only ever have a limited commitment to measures that are enforced with a big stick. They might comply because they have no choice but they won't believe in it. Somehow we need to elevate the image of driving to the point where everyone recognises that the test is the most basic starting point and that failure to achieve a more advanced level within, say, two years is actually rather shameful. How do we do that? Answers on a post card, please!
However, we could start with schools and colleges. Everyone responds to positive feedback and encouragement, so where are the 'New Driver of the Year' competitions, complete with local rounds, regional semi finals and a UK wide final event, all with schools and colleges fully involved. It might start to generate some awareness of the issues and would put advanced driving on the curriculum. Not in school time, necessarily, but I suspect that this is one extra curriculum activity that would interest 17/18 year olds and just might start a more positive outlook towards young drivers.
Anyway, just a thought!
FormulaCrew said:
First post in this forum, so hello all
Have been watching this thread develop and lots of interesting points raised.
I too shudder at some of the things that I did in cars in my 'yoof'.
With regard to limiting engine size for a period - is this not something that they have done with bikes for a number of years now?
I'm not sure that anyone has suggested that an improved knowledge of the mechanics of that thing you are piloting at (potentially) 70 mph might help the situation.
I'm pretty sure that GCSE level physics covers friction, hydraulics and momentum (all things that apply to cars) - why not take the opportunity to kill 2 birds with one stone and use relevant car / driving examples in the national curriculum?
I know that this is not really 'driver training', but every little helps. At 17 I was comfortable holding my car on a hill using nowt but the clutch - but a number of years of driveway mechanics (for fiscal reasons) meant that I learned enough to show a little mechanical sympathy.
Of course, that assumes that students might actually be 'bovvered' by these things - but I know that I was.
Anyhow, it's only a thought - between us we can come up with the perfect driver training and education system. Then the government can totally ignore us
I think it's a fair point that a bit of mechanical / technical knowledge helps. And I also agree that driveway maintenance and repairs help to improve mechanical sympathy! (Actually, on a more general note I'm continually amazed at how many people take the attitude that science in general and engineering in particular is somehow beneath them. Not only do they not know how things work, they don't want to know! Considering our history as the originators of the industrial revolution and the fact that our whole way of life is 100% dependent on science and engineering, I find this ridiculous. Must be all sorts of reasons why modern British society thinks like this but it's not doing us any favours.)Have been watching this thread develop and lots of interesting points raised.
I too shudder at some of the things that I did in cars in my 'yoof'.
With regard to limiting engine size for a period - is this not something that they have done with bikes for a number of years now?
I'm not sure that anyone has suggested that an improved knowledge of the mechanics of that thing you are piloting at (potentially) 70 mph might help the situation.
I'm pretty sure that GCSE level physics covers friction, hydraulics and momentum (all things that apply to cars) - why not take the opportunity to kill 2 birds with one stone and use relevant car / driving examples in the national curriculum?
I know that this is not really 'driver training', but every little helps. At 17 I was comfortable holding my car on a hill using nowt but the clutch - but a number of years of driveway mechanics (for fiscal reasons) meant that I learned enough to show a little mechanical sympathy.
Of course, that assumes that students might actually be 'bovvered' by these things - but I know that I was.
Anyhow, it's only a thought - between us we can come up with the perfect driver training and education system. Then the government can totally ignore us
Anyway, back to the point in hand, a bit of knowledge about momentum and the tendency for moving objects to continue in a straight line surely wouldn't do any harm! As the man said, every little helps!
Gassing Station | Advanced Driving | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff