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General Car Insurance |
Young DriversYou’ve finally passed your driving test, saved up for a cheap little run around, have finally got some freedom and suddenly find that your insurance premium costs more than your car is worth! What the…!? How’s that work then?
Unfortunately young drivers are subject to some of the highest insurance premiums around and this isn’t coincidence. The undisputable evidence is that young drivers, particularly the boy’s are far more likely to have an accident:
· One third of all young male drivers will write off a car in their first year of driving. · One in four of all convictions for death caused by dangerous driving are for drivers under 20, even though this group makes up just 3% of all drivers. · In 2001, over 125,000 under 25-year olds were convicted of driving without insurance, over half of all such convictions. · 17 – 20 year old male drivers are ten times more likely to be killed or seriously injured than more experienced drivers.
Within the insurance industry there is also the concern that young men who customise small, higher powered cars, whether it be a cosmetic or performance modifications, are more likely to drive without insurance, because all their available cash has been spent on their vehicle.
So what factors contribute to young driver accidents? These can be broken down into five main categories:
Driving at night. Young male drivers are much more likely to have an accident at night due to having to use different skills that they may not be experienced in and are more likely to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Bends and speed. Young driver have roughly twice the amount of accidents on a bend than 30 – 59 year old drivers and men between 17-18 have twice the number of accidents than female drivers while negotiating a bend. Adverse driving conditions. While over 40% of 17-18 year old male drivers accidents are in the wet, it may well be inexperience rather than carelessness that is to blame. Passengers. Having friends in a car can both distract the driver and encourage them to drive in a more risky way. Competitive Driving. Young males are notorious for engaging in competitive driving.
So we have established that young drivers, particularly males are more likely to have an accident and are more likely to drive without insurance. The net effect of this is that because their accidents cost more, then the average premium for all young drivers will be higher. Unfortunately, even if you are a safe, careful and considerate young driver, you will be penalised when you fist take out insurance.
It may be worth noting here, is that the reason for high premiums is not just to cover the cost of repairing the damage to yours or another personals vehicle. It is to pay for medical treatment and compensate those seriously injured or who die in a road accident.
OK, enough of the grim reality, why don’t you look at our Top Tips for Cheaper Car Insurance.
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The Insurance Boffin E-mail: info@insuranceboffin.com Disclaimer: Any information, advert or link contained on this site does not amount to advice, suggestion or a recommendation in any manner or form. |
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The Insurance Boffin |
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