Young drivers’ huge road risk over holiday season

Young drivers are at high risk of dying on our roads during the holiday season, horror new research has revealed.

Young drivers are dying on Australian roads at an alarming rate during the Christmas holiday season, according to new analysis by Road Safety Education,

Over the past decade, 380 lives have been lost during this period alone, with fatalities increasing sharply in the past three years.

Shockingly, 17–25-year-olds account for 22 per cent of holiday season road fatalities, despite representing just 10 per cent of licensed drivers.

The findings drawn from the Australian Road Death database reveal that crashes during the festive period are more likely to occur on high-speed regional roads, often at night.

RSE head of program delivery John Elliott said this period is particularly dangerous for young drivers due to a number of factors.

Young drivers are at risk on the roads this holiday season. Picture: Linda Higginson

“They are more likely to drive at night – 60 per cent holiday period road fatalities for 17-25

year olds take place at night, compared to 38 per cent for other ages.” he said.

“Young drivers often lack the experience with the road environment, including predicting the behaviour of other road users, and identifying road hazards.”

“Risk-taking behaviour – whether consciously (often impacted by peer passengers) or

through inability to perceive risks, which is often manifested in speeding, travelling

too close behind other cars, or failing to wear a seatbelt.” he said.

Elliot also explained that brain development is a factor.

“Young people’s frontal cortex, which aids in more rational decision-making, is still developing.” he said.

Risk-taking behaviour is an issue. Picture: Brendan Radke

DISTRACTED DRIVING PARTICULARLY LETHAL

Regional roads present the biggest challenges during the holiday season, with 65 per cent of driver and passenger fatalities occurring on roads with a speed limit of 100km/h or more, compared with 48 per cent for the rest of the year.

“Speeding remains the biggest cause of crashes throughout Australia,” he said.

Add distraction, fatigue or poorly fitted seatbelts or drugs and alcohol and the risk increases.

“Fatigue-related crashes are almost three times as likely to be fatal than crashes not involving fatigue.

Distracted driving is particularly lethal, as Elliott explained “glancing down at your phone for 3 seconds to look at a text while travelling at 110km/h means you’ve travelled over 90 metres with your eyes off the road”.

While the holiday road fatalities have declined in recent years, young people remain the most at risk.

Regional roads are a big challenge. Picture: NewsWire / Scott Radford-Chisholm

PREVENTABLE DEATHS

Elliott believes a vast majority of these deaths are preventable.

“Not wearing a seatbelt doubles the chance of dying in a crash,” he said

“Fatigue, not just at night time, where it is a heightened risk over the holiday season but on longer journeys, and journeys taken outside drivers’ normal waking times, including early and late departures.”

“Fatigue-related crashes are almost three times as likely to be fatal than crashes not involving fatigue.

Elliot’s advice this season is for drivers to plan their trip, take regular breaks and stay patient in traffic.

Originally published as Young drivers’ huge road risk over holiday season