Road Traffic Accidents & Learner Drivers

If you are a young person learning to drive, then you will probably already be aware that you need to have someone who fits the supervisory criteria with you while you learn, to ensure your driving safety, reduce the risk of accidents, and increase the chances of you passing your driving test.

The criteria demands that they be:

• be 21 years of age or over
• have a full driving licence for over 3 years
• be covered by the insurance policy
• have you named as a learner driver on the insurance policy
• are displaying L plates on the learner vehicle
• make sure the car is roadworthy and is road legal (has applicable TAX/MOT etc)
• have the minimum required eyesight standard

It is the responsibility of your supervising driver to make sure that you act responsibly and behave in a safe manner while driving and they are considered to be in control of the vehicle while a learner is at the wheel. So if your supervisor has been drinking or is using a mobile phone when an accident occurs then the punishment will be applied to them as if they were driving the car.

However in the case that you are caught speeding then the points and fine will be applicable to you, the learner – and if you accrue six points on your licence in the first two years of driving, then you can be banned from the road.

It is expected that you will be fully aware of the traffic laws before going onto the road. However despite this you can still run into trouble.

Why Are Learner and Newly Qualified Drivers Involved in Crashes?

Learner drivers are some of the safest drivers on the road. Unfortunately during the transition from learner to newly qualified, young drivers go from being the safest to the most likely to be involved in an accident. Reasons for this include:

• Lack of experience:

New drivers tend to be a bit nervous on the roads as they get to grips with driving solo. Going from having someone to supervise you and hold your hand while you’re behind the wheel, to driving around completely alone can be a scary and difficult transition. As new drivers get more confident and start to learn more about the road and how to deal with different situations, then their crash rate drops.

• Confidence and Attitude

Although some young drivers are too nervous when they hit the road for the first time alone, some newly qualified drivers are rather too confident for their own good and believe that they are better drivers than everyone else. This arrogance leads them to take risks that a more experienced driver would decide against. This type of driver tends to think that the better they can control their vehicle at high speeds, the better the driver they are, and they are often involved in 'racing' with other drivers who think the same way - sometimes ending in tragedy. They are also more susceptible to peer pressure than more experienced drivers.

• Ability to read Hazards

Although younger people tend to have faster reactions than their more mature counterparts, they are not very good at hazard perception. Consequently, they aren't very good at spotting a child running from in between some parked cars, or a cat hiding underneath a car a few hundred yards up the road about to run out in front of them. It's estimated that more experienced drivers can identify and react to a hazard around 2 seconds quicker than newly qualified drivers.

Reducing Your Chances of an Accident

As a learner driver, the best thing you can do to keep yourself safe on the road is to make sure that you are 100% comfortable with your choice of supervisor. Don’t choose someone because you think it will be fun to learn with them, choose the most experienced, level headed and sensible driver you know.

An important part of learning to drive is learning to respect the road and other road users. This will reduce your chances of having accidents in the future, both as a learner driver and when you qualify. While you are learning to drive make sure that you follow your supervisor’s instructions, and react as best as you can to difficult circumstances. A good supervisor will give you constructive criticism, tell you where you went wrong and give you the opportunity to learn how to deal with that situation correctly, should it arise again.