Thousands of young drivers are taking deadly risks behind the wheel like blind overtaking and drug-driving, it has been revealed.
New research shows 9% of young drivers admit driving on illegal drugs, compared to 3% of older drivers.
Meanwhile one in three 17 to 24-year-olds admit to overtaking when they can’t see what is coming, compared to one in ten older drivers.
Half of youths still use hand-held mobile phones behind the wheel, added the study.
The study by road safety charity Brake comes as a national conference in Manchester today brings together experts in the field to discuss strategies to tackle young driver crashes.
At the conference Brake will urge the Government to publish its long-awaited consultation on novice drivers and take prompt action to cut casualties.
According to Brake more than 14 young drivers and passengers die every week in Britain.
Brake’s head of campaigns, Cathy Keeler, will argue that the current system of learning to drive is inadequate, contributing to high numbers of young people killed and injured on roads as a result of inexperience combined with immaturity and dangerous attitudes.
She will be talking about the need to introduce compulsory road safety education in schools and a system of Graduated Driver Licensing.
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