Occasionally, a motorist may be put off driving by the sometimes expensive price of young driver car insurance. In 2012, according to the AA, male drivers between the ages of 17 and 22 paid an average price of around £3,500 for their annual vehicle cover, while their female counterparts received average premiums of approximately £2,300.
When behind the wheel, young motorists should always drive safely and adhere to the rules of the road. Otherwise, following a claim with their insurer after a traffic accident, the price of their car insurance may increase.
Also in 2012, OnePoll, an online research company, looked at the driving habits of 2,900 young motorists between the ages of 17 and 25. The organisation found nearly 50% of respondents used their mobile phones while driving and 12% did not consider this behaviour to be dangerous.
The dangers of mobile phone use
According to The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) (Amendment) (No.4) Regulations 2003 , using a hand-held mobile phone while driving is illegal. If caught, an offender may receive three penalty points on their licence and a fine of £60.
As well as this, they may be unfortunate enough to be involved in an accident due to their mobile phone use, and cause themselves and an innocent road user or passenger injury.
Although some young motorists believe using a handset while driving is not dangerous, the
Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), states road users who use a hand-held or hands-free mobile phone are more likely to suffer distraction behind the wheel.
Typically, drivers who use their phone while driving:
- Fail to observe road signs or potential hazards;
- Do not maintain a steady lane position;
- Suffer increased levels of stress or frustration;
- Are more likely to take risks; and
- React much slower than other road users.
As these motorists are generally not paying full attention to the road, RoSPA states they are four times more likely to suffer a traffic accident than law-abiding drivers.
The Directgov website states that, when behind the wheel, motorists must only use a hand-held mobile phone if parked in a safe location or in a genuine emergency where it would be unsafe to stop. Otherwise, they could be prosecuted.
Young driver car insurance with insurethebox
At insurethebox, we want to reward motorists who drive safely. When you take out a policy with us, we will fit a black box to your vehicle which will monitor aspects of your driving such as acceleration, braking, cornering and speed.
In addition, we will also offer advice on how to become a better driver via your own personal Customer Portal. Providing a motorist follows our recommendations, and builds up a history of no-claims, he or she may receive cheaper car insurance at renewal.
If you are interested in our young driver car insurance, please click here for more information.