Young people most frightened to use public transport

Congestion charges won’t tempt young people to leave their cars at home – they’re too frightened to use public transport. Young drivers are so fearful of being attacked or robbed that they are likely to ignore schemes to save the environment in a bid to stay safe.

A Transport Safety Study by swiftcover.com in conjunction with the Centre of Business Economics and Research shows, that compared to any other age group, 18 to 29 year-olds simply feel safer in their cars.

The insurer questioned 1787 car drivers from across Great Britain about how safe they feel on public transport. It found:

The youngest group, 18-29 year olds, are most fearful with 66 per cent stating they feel safer travelling by car

54 per cent of all those surveyed feel unsafe using public transport at night

Andrew Blowers, Chief Executive Officer at swiftcover.com comments: “Our results speak for themselves. People are frightened to use public transport and fear for their safety. On one hand the Government plans to introduce a penalty of £1.28 per mile during rush hour to force people out of their cars, on the other hand, it still has to address the issue of safety on public transport. It is staggering that out of all the age groups, it’s the 18-29 year olds who feel most vulnerable travelling on public transport.”

Personal safety is at risk

A whopping 37 per cent of snatch robberies are directed at those between the ages of 21 and 30 years old and 43 per centof all personal robberies involve a mobile phone being taken or demanded. It is unsurprising, then, that the group most likely to invest in valuable new technology is the most concerned about travelling by buses, trains and tubes.

The picture worsens: the majority of all age groups said they also felt safer in their cars. And it’s no wonder - while crime on the whole has been in steady decline since 2002, incidences of violent crimes against individuals have been on the increase since 1998.

This eye-opening picture of the younger generation shows three quarters feel more comfortable when travelling by car. Seating on public transport is often cramped and does not allow for the personal space people associate with greater security and comfort.

Crime statistics show these safety concerns are not unfounded. Just four per cent of personal robberies involve people travelling by car. Those using public transport are twice as likely to be robbed compared to those in cars, with eight per cent of personal robberies occurring while people use public transport. This does not include the additional two per cent of robberies that happen when using a subway or underpass.

Further findings:

While young people are likely to be the most wary of travelling by public transport, the research found people all over the UK, are worried:

17 per cent of Londoners worry more about accidents when travelling by public transport

People living in Lancashire, are most concerned about safety with 71 per cent feeling safer in their cars

Those in the Midlands are the most worried about travelling on public transport at night (59 per cent)

Andrew Blowers concludes: “We know that most people feel safer in their cars, and it’s now apparent that young people feel particularly vulnerable when travelling by public means. The real crux of the matter is that the Government has a responsibility to put measures in place to dramatically drive down crime on public transport. It’s not surprising that people seem unwilling to give up the ‘safe haven’ of their cars for the potential nightmare of public transport.”

To find out more about the public transport service in your area visit travelometer.co.uk.