How do we encourage young drivers to take a more responsible attitude to driving ?

Question

It appears that the number of road deaths, specifically among young male drivers is on the increase. Despite several Government initiatives, the death toll continues to rise. Will there ever be a solution?

Answer 1

I agree with and believe in dumping the burned out and destroyed shells of cars along roadsides like they do in NY State. Teenagers brains are geared to the visual details of things now days more than ever...

I believe that actually SHOWING, by example, the shells of cars that were in accidents and what happens to the soft little bodies wrapped around twisted tons of metal in an accident will be enough to make them understand the importance in being a responsible driver.

Trips to the morgue too... That'll do it!

Answer 2

I know this is a controversy way, but I am pretty sure it will work (It has worked ON me anyway)

Go to http://www.rotten.com, find pictures of dead bodies caused by road accidents, print them in high quality. Give some real description. Show the pictures to the young drivers in a good powerpoint persentation.

Accident videos can be added too if felt necessary.

Why would it work?

Because those pictures and videos are so strong, so emotionally strong that they will enter the young driver's subconscious mind and "tell" them to drive more carefully.

There's no other way to "encourage young drivers to take a more responsible attitude to driving" except this way OR giving them a really tough penalties for any normal road offence.

Answer 3

My recommendation is to go on to take the Advanced Drivers Test. This covers a wider spectrum and makes you look at the whole area not just the road in front. It will lower your insurance premiums as well so the extra cost would in fact pay for itself.

Also, slow down.

Answer 4

Maybe Government could introduce legislation whereby up to a certain age it is illegal to make any modifications to your car, and maybe even to have a maximum engine size you're allowed to drive. for example, between ages of 17-20 you can't have an angine size larger than a 1.1, and no modifications. then at 21, you're allowed a larger engine (say up to a 1.4) with some minor, non-engine mods being allowed, then at 25 you can have any size engine and any mods if you wish. The reason so many young males like to show off and drive fast etc is because they have cars too powerful for their mentality to handle, and if they have te money to mod their cars at all, they want to drive needlessly just to show it off. So, restricting these 2 options until a certain age will mean that young lads will only drive when they need to: who wants to show off a 10 year old micra 1.0L at 19years old for example? I also like the suggestion of parents making their children pay their own way to get on the road: too many kids get everything paid for them and so take it for granted. If they paid for themselves they'd understand the seriousness of being involved in a car accident financially.
My final suggestion is compulsory lessons at school/college whereby graphic photos of young people killed in car accidents where speed and/or stupidity caused the accident are shown: therefore causing shock and hopefully a little bit of sensibility might sink through, because they wouldn;t particularly like to end up like that themselves.

Answer 5

If the oik is driving like he or she owns the road and they are having or causing accidents and If daddy is paying for the up keep of the car, then is point less fining the bastards.
Tie the idiot to his own bumper by his feet and drive at full speed for a few mile,
Beats any fines

Answer 6

We should stop buying small, fast cars for these kids. When you buy a 16 year old a camaro with a 6cyl engine, that's asking for trouble. We should make them pay for, if not part of the car and insurance, then all of it. They will understand better how much the car costs to buy and maintain. But before all that, we really should have taught our childen actions and consequences, something it seems kids are not all being taught nowadays.

Answer 7

Look for DRIVER SAFETY organizations that have young volunteers who have been seriously injured who Willl come to a school and talk with students. The more often this is done, the greater impression it wil make on the students. When you see and hear the stories of those who have been injured, it can make you cry.

Answer 8

Better driver's training.
In Germany, for example, driver's training is very expensive, as is owning a car (gas at $6 a gallon)- so people tend to take it way more seriously.

Answer 9

"Radars and fines. Hit them where it hurts...in the pockets......" In my opinion that wont work that will just hit the parents pockets!

I say limit the size of car to a 1 litre and have a speed limiter fitted to 70 mph until 21.

It can never.....ever by stopped but we can try and decrease the amount of deaths than it increase

Answer 10

Oh, I do wish I had the answer to this question. My daughter, her fiance' and their best friend were all killed by a maniac driving too fast and trying to overtake before he looked. This happened last Nov.2nd, and it is the anniversary next week. It always seems to be the innocent ones who are getting killed, and the people who cause it are walking away uninjured. We not only have the 1st anniversary of their deaths, but two weeks after that would have been my daughters 21st birthday, another two weeks after that is the trial, and after that it is christmas. So please, if you do find out the answer, I would dearly like to know..........Thank you. X

Answer 11

Boys like to show off for peopl, whether they know the people or not. They always have and always will. What I wish the government would change is the whole cell phone driving at the same time thingy. It makes me mad that older people think its only young people who drive with their cell phones to their ear. REALITY CHECK! i got cut off by an old man on a cell phone. I WISH THEY DIDNT DRIVE WHILE ON THE PHONE! err