The blame game - young driver crash hotspots revealed as two fifths blame other drivers

11 June 2018

• 17% of young drivers have crashed their current vehicles
• 15% of these motorists said their accident took place on a motorway
• 62% of young motorist accidents take place in the morning

Almost a fifth (17%) of young drivers have crashed their current vehicles and almost a tenth (7%) have had a near miss, according to a new study released today by Co-op Insurance.

Following changes to the learner driving test this week which will see learner drivers take on the motorway, Co-op’s study reveals when, where and why young drivers are most commonly involved in road traffic accidents.

When looking at the reasons for these accidents, over two fifths (42%) of young motorists blamed another driver for causing their crash.

Of these young motorists, a tenth (9%) said another driver pulled out in front of them and a further tenth (10%) explained that another driver braking suddenly was the reason for the incident.

Furthermore, one in ten (10%) of young motorists pointed the finger at mechanical problems for their incident. A tenth (9%) admitted to not paying attention at the wheel and almost a further tenth (8%) said they swerved to avoid hitting something in the road.

Top 10 reasons for UK road accidents is as follows:

1. 42% of drivers blamed another driver for causing their accident
2. 10% blamed mechanical problems
3. 9% admitted to not paying attention at the wheel
4. 8% said they swerved to avoid hitting someone in the road
5. 8% blamed distracting passengers
6. 7% said reaching for something in their car was to blame
7. 7% said they crashed whilst avoiding hitting a cyclist
8. 6% crashed after swerving to avoiding potholes
9. 6% blamed changing their radio station
10. 5% said the distraction of their sat nav was the reason for the incident

In terms of where young driver accident hotspots are, a quarter (24%) of young motorists who have been involved in a collision said it took place at a junction.

A fifth (20%) said their accident occurred in a residential area and a further fifth (20%) explained theirs was on a quiet A road.

Top 5 young driver accident hotspots revealed:

1. A quarter (24%) of young driver accidents have taken place at junctions
2. A fifth (20%) have happened in residential areas
3. A fifth (20%) have taken place on A roads
4. A sixth (17%) have occurred in car parks
5. A sixth (15%) took place on a motorway

Accidents in the morning are most frequent among 17-25 year old motorists, with almost two thirds (62%) of young driver accidents taking place at this time.

Nick Ansley, Head of Motor Insurance at the Co-op, said:

“Young drivers are involved in road traffic accidents more so than any other age group.

“And with a sixth of young motorists saying their accident took place on a motorway, it’s really encouraging to see that the changes made to the learner driver test this week, will help to combat this by helping young drivers gain confidence and experience on motorways.”

Ends

Media Contacts:

Emily Penkett
PR Manager
Email: Emily.penkett@coop.co.uk
Mobile: 07738621201

Hannah Charlton
Press Officer
Email: Hannah.Charlton@coop.co.uk
Mobile: 07713 314 894

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram: @coopukpress

¹Research was conducted in May among 2000 young drivers aged 17-25 on behalf of Co-op Insurance with Atomik Research

About Co-op Insurance

Co-op Insurance is part of the Co-op, one of the world’s largest consumer co-ops, owned by millions of members. Alongside Co-op Insurance, we have the UK’s fifth biggest food retailer, the UK’s number one funeral services provider, and a developing legal services business.

As well as having clear financial and operational objectives, the Co-op is a recognised leader for its social goals and community-led programmes.