Fed: Young drivers "the best": survey

AAP General News (Australia)
12-10-2001
Fed: Young drivers "the best": survey

Eds: Reissuing to amend second par



MELBOURNE, Dec 10 AAP - Australia's young drivers not only think they are the best,
but consider driving with drugs safer than drink driving, according to a recent survey.

Insurer AAMI found one in five drivers under the age of 25 surveyed believed driving
after using drugs was safer than driving after drinking.

Nine per cent thought it was not a safety issue.

Moreover, 80 per cent thought they were better drivers than everyone else; a statistic
not borne out in reality, AAMI corporate affairs director Richard Jeffrey said.

"Young drivers were the most likely to be involved in an accident," he said.

"The AAMI Claims Incident Rate, a measure of accident claims per 100 drivers, rates
young men at 23.4 and under 25 females at 19.9.

"The national average is 15.2," he said.

Young drivers were also more likely to act on frustration and take risks, the survey found.

Three quarters of those surveyed were angered when another driver cut in front, 29
per cent were impatient compared to a national average of 19 per cent and 30 per cent
admitted to using rude gestures, compared to 21 per cent.

Young drivers were also twice as likely to run a red light or throw litter (14 per
cent compared with five per cent) or use a mobile phone without a hands-free kit (30 per
cent compared with 16 per cent).

AAP ag/jmd/sb

KEYWORD: DRIVERS (REISSUING)

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