More than three-quarters of newly qualified drivers have made dangerous or serious mistakes behind the wheel in the past year, a new study shows.
Navigation and dashcam provider Garmin, which commissioned the research, found that 82% of new drivers had made “major” mistakes that would see them fail a driving test.
Despite this, however, 57% would describe themselves as a ‘good driver’.
So, what errors are new drivers making? Among the mistakes admitted by those surveyed were getting distracted, including by in-car media (35%), and hesitant or nervous driving (33%).
One in five (20%) said they had exceeded the speed limit or failed to use their mirrors, and 17% had experienced road rage.
More than two in five (44%) new drivers feel paranoid about making mistakes, while 42% said they felt intimidated by other drivers.
Perhaps it’s no surprise that 81% of parents worry when their children get behind the wheel — although 97% said they would voice concerns from the passenger seat.
Garmin has teamed up with road safety charity Brake for its ‘Eye on the Road’ campaign to promote the use of dashcams for new drivers to help improve their driving.
“Our study has revealed a shared concern between parents and young drivers which shows just how dangerous our roads can be,” said Jon Oliver, managing director of Garmin UK and Ireland.
“Garmin’s Eye on the Road campaign aims to help make roads safer by educating new drivers and offering them and their parents peace of mind regarding their safety behind the wheel.”
Joshua Harris, director of campaigns at Brake, added: “Installing a dashcam which provides proactive and reactive feedback can give young drivers and their parents peace of mind and help improve the safety of roads for everyone.
“The inexperience and over-confidence of young drivers makes them a high road safety risk, that’s why the increased use of dashcams, and policy measures like the introduction of a more robust, graduated driving licence, can help improve safety for all.”
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