Young drivers aged under 20 are overrepresented in serious motor vehicle accidents. They account for 15% of crashes resulting in death or injury despite representing only 5% of license holders. Young drivers are more at risk due to lack of experience, poor hazard perception, a desire to prove themselves, and a feeling of invincibility. They are also more likely to speed, drive while fatigued or intoxicated, and have crashes at night or with passengers. Both modifiable risk factors like speeding and non-modifiable factors like age and gender contribute to the high risk for young drivers.

2. THE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM
Young people are more likely to be labelled as risk takers
 Lack of experience
 Poor hazard perception
 Desire to prove themselves
 Thrill seeking and attitudinal aspect of thinking ‘it can’t happen to me’

3. Young driver are over-represented in serious motor vehicle accidents.
Those under 20 yrs. old represent 5% of all licence holders and yet involved with ~15%
of all motor vehicle crashes resulting in death or injury.
CHARACTERISTICS OF FATAL CRASHES
2005
2010
no.
%
no.
Speed limit at crash site(a)(b)
Up to 60 km/h
65–90 km/h
100 km/h and above(c)
Type of crash
Pedestrian
Single vehicle
Multiple vehicle
%
453
312
671
30.8
21.2
45.6
353
279
588
28.3
22.4
47.1
224
654
594
15.2
44.4
40.4
173
551
524
13.9
44.2
42.0

4. In addition, young drivers are significantly over represented as
speeding drivers involved in fatal crashes.
•
Around 1 in 7 young drivers are fatigued.
•
1 in 10 young drivers have an illegal blood alcohol level.
•
Young drivers have a greater incidence of fatal crashes at night time, as well
as when they are transporting two or more passengers.

5. RISK FACTORS AND PROTECTIVE FACTORS
•
Non modifiable risk factors include type of road user (passenger, pedestrian,
driver, pedal cyclist) and gender. Modifiable risk factors include speeding,
alcohol, fatigue, wearing a seatbelt or helmet, overcrowding of vehicles, driver
inexperience, as well as road and environmental conditions.

6. The sociocultural, socioeconomic and
environmental determinants
Risk factors are factors that increase the likelihood of being involved in a crash as a road user.
Protective factors are factors in a person's life that promote positive health and wellbeing. They may reduce the effect
of a risk factor present in a young person life.
Student activity
Discuss the determinants that contribute to motor vehicle crashes in young people.
• sociocultural (e.g. age, gender)
• socioeconomic (e.g. low education, low SES)
• environmental