Today’s drivers face a number of potentially dangerous distractions that they must avoid in order to stay safe. According to new research, Britons between 16-24 years of age are more likely than those from any other European country to take their eyes off the road because of one hazard in particular—attractive pedestrians.
Young people are also more likely than any other group to be killed whilst driving, with the new research indicating that this could be due to getting distracted when behind the wheel.
Whilst the main distraction faced by younger drivers is dependent on external stimuli rather than technology such as smartphones, this can’t be said for the rest of Europe. The results of the study indicated that 43 per cent of young people in Europe have sent a text whilst driving, and 11 per cent have been risky enough to watch a video whilst driving.
Of the young people who took part in the survey, 41 per cent said they would be prepared to engage in more risky behaviour if a friend was in the vehicle with them. It is yet to be seen whether the practical driving test reforms unveiled by the Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) will help mitigate distracted driving.