Drop in young motorist deaths

THE number of young drivers killed on the roads has almost halved this year compared to the same period last year, prompting calls for an overhaul of costly insurance premiums.

New garda figures reveal 34 drivers aged between 16 and 35 lost their lives in the first six months this year compared with 58 last year.

Road safety chiefs yesterday put the drop in young motorist deaths down to changing attitudes as well as random breath testing, introduced a year ago this week. It was a little early though to be certain, suggested Road Safety Authority chief Noel Brett.

However, further analysis of road fatality figures for both halves of 2006 and 2007 shows young passenger deaths are also significantly down. Collisions killed 36 young passengers in vehicles last year, compared to 26 this year. In both years, several child passengers under 10 years old died.

According to Mr Brett, the big change has been the drop in single vehicle multi-fatality collisions.

“Things that were happening last year and a feature of most weekends. It was common to have three of even five young people killed in one collision. People are more aware and passengers are more aware, especially the young, and getting more assertive.”

“The random breath testing was the big thing as motorists don’t know what hour of the day or night they will run into a random breath check. Not alone will that have an effect on people drinking and driving, it impacts on their speeding, on their seat belt wearing.

“In the 17 to 34-year-old age group there’s a drop-off, there is no let up in the over 65s. Young people are starting to get the message.”

Young people need to be rewarded for the drop in fatalities, it was stressed.

The Automobile Association’s Conor Faughnan said: “The data is unreservedly good news and particularly encouraging. If accidents are down, insurance companies will have to adjust, competition compels them to.”

Many young male drivers pay premiums of about €1,500, says the AA. “The cost to them is the direct consequence of their road performance,” added the AA official.

Macra na Feirme, who represent young rural motorists, called for an incentive for young drivers.

“The dramatic drop is certainly a reflection of more road awareness. Insurance companies have to come into line and reward young drivers and reduce premiums, if young drivers are more conscientious,” said national president Catherine Buckley.

The Motor Insurance Justice Action Group though questioned whether insurance companies would let their profits fall. “We’d like to see a drop with these results, but it’s unlikely,” said national organiser Mick Murphy.

But while less young people are dying in vehicles, the same cannot be said for those walking on roads. The provisional statistics show pedestrian deaths overall account for a shocking quarter of road deaths.