Driving restrictions for youngsters could cut insurance costs

Insurance premiums for younger drivers could fall by at least 10% if a ‘graduated licence' scheme were introduced restricting newly qualified teenagers from driving at night and carrying young passengers, according to online motor insurer swiftcover.com.

swiftcover.com has welcomed research by Cardiff University that suggests special licences for 17 to 19 year old motorists would save 200 lives a year and lead to 1,700 fewer serious injuries on British roads. The insurer says that making car insurance more affordable could also help cut the number of uninsured drivers.

Currently young and newly qualified drivers pay higher motor insurance premiums because they are the riskiest drivers on the road. swiftcover.com claims statistics show that men up to the age of 21 account for 62% of the total value of claims in that age group, whilst research shows that young men under the age of 21 are ten times more likely to die on the road than other motorists and account for a third of dangerous driving convictions.

Craig Staniland, underwriting director for swiftcover.com, explains: "It's a sad fact that too many young drivers are involved in serious car accidents, resulting in drivers aged 17 to 19 being charged higher premiums. This can lead to many youngsters driving without any insurance at all, which in turn just adds to the insurance burden for all.

"Introducing a scheme that would limit the time young and newly qualified drivers spend on the road, particular during potentially dangerous periods such as at night, would enable teenaged drivers to get valuable road experience under safer conditions and help instil a great sense of responsibility and safety. If this also cuts the number of road accidents involving young people, not only would it save lives it would also bring down the cost of insurance premiums for younger drivers."

The Cardiff University research proposes that graduated licences, which are already being used successfully in Australia, New Zealand parts of the US, would be in force for as long as two years and could also include a total ban on alcohol.