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13 February 2012 09:46
MOTORING
CLA urges young drivers to take care
Rural watchdog the Country Land and Business Association is urging young drivers in Lincolnshire to take care on rural roads.
The warning comes following research which reveals how risk levels for young drivers vary according to where they live. Lincolnshire’s South Holland District is the top hazard spots, followed closely by Boston Borough.
The key finding of the report by Road Safety Analysis, specialists in examining road casualty trends, shows that rural young drivers are 37% more likely to be involved in an injury collision than their urban counterparts. Young drivers throughout the UK are already more likely to be involved in a crash with 30% of all motorists involved in collisions aged between 16 and 29 years old, yet this age group only made up 18% of the population. This study calculates that young rural drivers are two thirds more likely to be involved in an injury collision than their older neighbours. One of the biggest factors in the elevated risk profile is the much higher average annual mileages driven by rural drivers with 31% more miles driven per person than their urban counterparts.
CLA East regional director Nicola Currie says, “This increased exposure combined with young drivers’ relative inexperience compared to older motorists is a signal to rural local authorities and police forces that special attention needs paying to this subject.”
Road Safety Analysis director Dan Campsall says, “This is the first time that we have had a thorough examination of the risks to young drivers based on where they live, and the results are stark. Younger drivers from rural areas are far more likely to be involved in a crash where someone is injured, and we need to see a package of measures developed that can bring about a change. This may require investment in transport infrastructure, community bus schemes and further driver training to affect the inequality that these drivers are experiencing.”
Nicola Currie adds, “With this sort of information, Local Authorities can develop a much better understanding of the risks experienced by their residents and road users, helping them to address the inequalities that many people are experiencing in countryside areas.”
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