To think yes actually it IS time to legislate to stop teenage drivers driving a car full of their mates around at night?

[northernlurker]

Very distressing story on BBC here. If you don't want to click - it's 5 teens killed last night in the same car. Two girls, three boys. I have a child the same age as some of them and it's just so sad. I've always thought that you couldn't legislate for this but something has to be done. There was a triple fatal crash on the same bit of road also involving teens a few years ago and it happens again and again. The first funeral I ever went to was a girl in the year above me at school. There were 4 in that car. Two killed, one badly injured and one slightly hurt.
If teenage drivers were limited to no more than two passengers under the age of 21 would it help?

The vast majority of teens can and do drive sensibly

Drivers aged 17 - 19 are only 1.5% of license holders but make up 12% of fatal crashes.

Drivers aged 16 - 19 are twice as likely to die on the roads compared to someone aged 40-49

23% or 18-24 year olds crash in the first TWO years after passing their test.

Young male drivers are involved in more crashed than young females.

www.brake.org.uk/info-resources/info-research/road-safety-factsheets/15-facts-a-resources/facts/488-young-drivers-the-hard-facts

I hate the thought that my son could be driving in two years time. I would much rather he didn't take passengers with him in the car, well not a load of them where he might want to show off more. I can so easily imagine a young teen having friends in the car who become rowdy and distract him. I hate the thought of him driving.

The driving test is stupidly strict at times, I took it last year and it was not an easy test at all.

I am on the fence.

Yes, I think it would be a good, creative use of legislation and fairly easily enforceable. Would save many lives. I know even my usually fairly sensible brother drove quite badly when he'd just passed his test (years ago) and had a car full of mates.
I lost a DFriend in her and my early twenties. Three girls in the back seat all lost their lives in crash around New Year

Apologies for typos - fucking phone

I think there should be a limit on the power of vehicle that anyone can drive for the first two years after passing their test. That would limit the power and speed on any car driven by a new driver.

Even for an adult? I passed my test at the age of 32. Do you think I should have these restrictions as well?

To be honest, we don't know the cause of the crash at all but even though another driver has been arrested for DD it doesn't necessarily mean that the deceased diver wasn't also driving carelessly or dangerously.

For example if two driver were racing each other they would both be guilty of any offences committed, not just one driver.

But like I said, we don't know the cause so I appreciate I'm also speculating.

Sorry perhaps should have been clearer that I'm thinking of separate incidents there, one fairly trivial, one a terrible tragedy.

bod

It would be more interesting to see the statistics for new driver fatalities in general.

I don't think infantilising people is the way forward on this. By the op's logic, people would be able to have sex, become parents, get full time jobs, drink alcohol, vote, get married or die in service to their country in the forces before they were allowed to drive? Right.

Teens may make up 12% of road traffic fatalities statistically but that does not change the fact that the majority are capable of driving sensibly.

Could cars driven by young drivers be fitted with speed limiters like some lorries are?
At 19 I lost 2 friends in a car crash. 6 people died in total. A young person driving was to blame. He had been drinking and was speeding with 4 friends as passengers. He died too.
This was over 20 years of now I nothing has changed to try and stop or reduce these types of accidents.

These young people were all present (and in one case past) pupils of my old school. It has been open today to help comfort and support those friends who may need to be together.

It's horrific. Those young lives, all gone in a moment.The school community will be devastated and this will have far reaching consequences in the times to come.

Apparently a 21y driver of a third car was arrested and bailed in connection to the accident.

The road the accident occurred has already had tragic accidents - just 3 years ago some more teens died on the same stretch. It goes from 40 to 60 and back again I believe, and last night was very foggy. We don't yet know what caused the accident and what may have led to all five losing their lives.

I don't know if anyone here is affected by this tragic loss, but thoughts are with all those family and friends trying to deal with the tragic losses.

Whereas my heart goes out to the families of those involved, I dont think that stopping 17 yr olds from driving, or restricting the number of passengers is the answer (and I speak as parent of a teenage ds learning to drive).
I would, however support the retesting of everyone, every 10 yrs or so. Alongside attending a course along the lines of those you can go on if caught speeding.
There are sensible and reckless drivers in all age groups. You can only get experience by actually driving of course.

Regarding the idea of speed limiters I just think driving is a complex skill which shouldn't be compromised by trying to impress your mates (as happens so often in this scenario) or drink driving.
So personally don't think a speed limiter would be enough.
So sorry to hear of your loss though Lindy - and so similar to mine, though you lost 2 friends

U2TheEdge

Why not?
Probably not a bad thing for all new drivers to be restricted to smaller, less powerful cars until they have built up increased confidence and driver awareness.
It seems madness that someone can pass their test one day and the next be driving a high powered vehicle on a fast road.

The argument that with only one other in the car it won't get as rowdy is countered by the fact there would now be multiple cars all driving to the same destination, so more "racing" between cars... It's not as simple as banning number of people in cars,

Yabu. My step sister is 17 and a better driver than some 40+ year olds and that's with her friends in her car.

Also, with the multiple car/multiple driver thing could it possibly mean more temptation for drink driving amongst the young? One sober driver in a group is better than nothing?

I drove down part of that road yesterday at 6pm. It was so dark and foggy, visibility was terrible. Those poor kids.

There is no one simple solution that will stop the issue of accident rates involving young people. But personally I would support the restrictions on the amount of passengers a driver can carry.

Yes inexperience is inexperience regardless if you are 17 or 27 but maturity increases with age and I think that is a massive factor.

But I wouldn't be happy with my daughter being driven around by a young driver in a car full. I don't think most parents would either.

Surely it is the age of the driver/lack of experience and not the number of passengers that is causing the accidents?

Do you drive?

eoukd you find it easier to drive safely on your own in a quiet car, or in a call full with big teenagers, obscuring the rear view mirror, music on loudly, people talking to you, people egging you on to go faster, overtake, whatever?

I passed my test in N Ireland in 2002. I don't know if it's still compulsory but then the law said everyone had to have a year as a restricted driver. You had to display a red R sticker, your speed was limited and the points threshold for disqualification was lower.
Such a sensible scheme, I wish it was in effect here.

Agree that minimum age for driving should be 21 (says she who passed her test at 18).

But I didn't have a car until I was 21 and I certainly wasn't allowed to drive my mates around in my Mum's car before then.

17 is TOO YOUNG.

I went to a talk by a professor of neuroscience on teenage behaviour two weeks ago. Young drivers are three times as likely to have accidents when they have passengers in their cars with them. Early 20s-23 are twice as likely and adults have the same likelihood as when they are on their own.

I did my driving lessons as at 18 I had a night job with no public transport.

So I needs my car for work.

Not all young drivers are silly, I have had my licence for 10 years now and I have never had 1 single point or even been stopped by the police.
I did have 1 small accident in which I misjudged the cap.

Also I gave lifts to other people.

I lived rurally as a teenager. Every year without fail 2 kids were killed driving dad's car fast around the lanes. I remember clinging to my friend in fear being driven home by a drunk driver.

No accident that I am bringing my dds up in a small and lively city. They can walk home from the clubs or get the bus.