Every year a disproportionately high percentage of 17-24 year old newly qualified drivers will become a Killed or Serious Injured (KSI) statistic.
Recent figures show young drivers aged 17-24 are responsible for approx. 5% of miles driven, but approx. 20% of car collisions that result in Killed or Seriously Injured (KSI) casualties. As well as the young drivers themselves, KSI casualties include: their passengers, drivers and passengers in other vehicles, motorcyclists and pedestrians.
"Males aged 17-24 are 4 times as likely to be killed or seriously injured while driving than drivers aged 25+"
Parents and carers, and professionals who engage with young people in those years just before they start driving lessons, are ideally placed to help prepare them for what is ahead on our roads, and may even affect whether they’ll become a future KSI statistic.
The Main Risk Factors
There are many reason the Killed and Seriously Injured (KSI) figures for those age 17-24 are so high - any one of the risk factors below could lead to a collision, but combine 2 or more and it's even more likely the young driver will become a KSI statistic.
Peer pressure
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Passengers and peer-drivers: these can negatively affect driving style and increase risk-taking behaviours
The ‘Fatal Four’
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Speed: inexperience and overconfidence can mean poor decision making and driving too fast for the road conditions - affecting car handling and control
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Mobile phones: any distraction within the car takes awareness away from what is happening outside the car - affecting hazard perception and reaction times
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Drugs and alcohol: many legal and illegal substances cause impairment - affecting every aspect of driving
- Seatbelts: not wearing seatbelts has a big impact on collision outcomes - seatbelts save lives
Our young people need educating to understand it’s likely they will have friends who will drive in ways that won’t feel safe, and to have strategies in place so they are better able to deal with those situations when they happen - both as a driver and as a passenger.
Official Facts and Figures
These are links to the most recent relevant reports on the Gov.UK website, and give a chilling insight into how many newly qualified drivers die or are seriously injured on our roads each year, with details about some of the risk factors mentioned above.
Reported road casualties in Great Britain: younger driver factsheet, 2023
This report was published in September 2024, the 2024 figures will be published in a new report due September 2025.
"Overall, in 2023, around a fifth of all killed or seriously injured (KSI) casualties from collisions involving cars were in collisions which involved a young car driver.
Young male car drivers aged 17 to 24 are 4 times as likely to be killed or seriously injured compared with all car drivers aged 25 or over."
Reported road casualties Great Britain: fatal 4 factsheet, 2023
This report was last updated November 2024.
The Fatal Four are generally: speeding, distracted by a mobile phone, under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and / or not wearing a seatbelt.
"The figures, based on collisions with at least one contributing factor recorded, show that more than half (65%) of fatal collisions in 2023 had at least one of the fatal 4 factors assigned."
Reported road casualties Great Britain: fatal 4 - speed factsheet, 2023
This report was last updated November 2024.
"The figures, based on collisions with at least one contributing factor recorded, show that more than half (56%) of fatal collisions in 2023 had at least one speed related factor assigned."
Reported road casualties Great Britain: fatal 4 - drink and drugs factsheet, 2023
This report was last updated November 2024.
"The figures, based on collisions with at least one contributing factor recorded, show that 19.6% of fatal collisions in 2023 had at least one drink or drugs related factor assigned."
Reported road casualties Great Britain: fatal 4 - seatbelt factsheet, 2023
This report was last updated November 2024.
"The figures, based on car fatalities where seatbelt use was recorded, show that 25% were not wearing seatbelts during the collisions."
Mobile phone use by drivers: England 2023
This report was published May 2024.
".. the highest proportion of drivers observed using a mobile phone in England was the group estimated as aged 17 to 29 .."
Crime Survey for England and Wales: self-reported driver behaviour, year ending March 2024
This report was published September 2024.
"The factsheet examines the main trends and patterns in self-reported drink driving, driving under the influence of drugs and mobile phone use whilst driving."
Support for Those Affected
Brake, the road safety charity
Provide support to those bereaved or seriously injured due to road collisions.
Summary
If you know about another organisation providing relevant facts and figures, or offering support to those affected - let us know, it could be just what the next visitor here needs.
Don't miss our other lists of useful links:
- Links re: Driving Theory Resources
- Links re: Additional Support Resources
- Links re: Road Safety Resources