Young drivers encouraged to take safe driving pledge
Commenting on today’s speech by the ABI to encourage the Government to introduce stricter rules for new drivers, Laura Wood at NFU Mutual comments:“Young drivers are more likely to crash than older more experienced drivers, in part due to their lack of driving experience but also due to their attitude to the road and being unaware of potential dangers. We are very concerned by the numbers of young drivers being killed or seriously injured in road accidents and are pleased that the ABI is calling on the Government to act.
“NFU Mutual recently teamed up with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) to incorporate its Safe Driving Agreement into our policies. The agreement, where young drivers promise to drive safely and responsibly at all times, must be signed by young drivers and their parents, in return for a one-off £100 discount on motor premiums.
“They must promise to confirm their destination in advance, to drive only between agreed times of the day, to ensure they and their passengers always wear seat belts, never drink or take drugs and drive, obey traffic laws and speed limits, not use a mobile phone whilst driving and avoid being distracted through fiddling with the stereo or eating or smoking whilst at the wheel.”
Young drivers can reduce their risk of an accident by taking the following precautions:
Take further driver training such as Pass Plus
Avoid driving at night where possible
Avoid carrying more than one or two passengers and ensure that all passengers wear a seatbelt
Do not drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs and never accept a lift from someone who has been drinking or might have taken drugs
Stick to the speed limit and take extra care in wet and icy conditions. Also reduce your speed when approaching bends and on narrow winding roads
Don’t use your mobile phone while driving
Keep music at a low level and avoid eating, drinking or smoking while driving
Display ‘P’ plates to indicate to other road users that there is an inexperienced driver at the wheel.
The discount applies to young drivers aged between 17 and 20 who are either covered on their parents’ policy or have their own motor insurance and is available to new and existing NFU Mutual customers.