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Third of Young People Think They're Better Drivers Than Their Parents


teen driver (select to view enlarged photo)

LONDON--December 4, 2012:

According to research by RED Driving School, the UK's largest driving school, one in three young people believe they are better drivers than their elders and are more careful. Of those surveyed, 29 per cent stated that their driving is of a higher quality, and they do not exhibit the same bad driving habits as parents and grandparents.

RED questioned 500 young people during road safety week about a range of driving issues, including insurance, driving quality and perceptions of themselves as newly qualified drivers.

CEO of RED Driving School Ian McIntosh, " It ' s good to see that young drivers are confident in their driving ability and believe that they ' re better placed to drive safely and competently.

"At RED we're responsible for the next generation of drivers and ensuring that, once on the road, they're fully equipped with the driving skills required to be a responsible driver."

Young people were also asked about their thoughts on insurance and how it affects their desire and ability to drive. 74 percent of respondents believe insurance companies are unfairly biased against young drivers.

The survey also revealed that the positives far outweighed the negatives for 17-24 year olds. 92 percent asked were learning to drive or wanted to, because of the freedom it would allow them.

Unsurprisingly, high costs were still a barrier to young people getting on the road, the same research revealed.

McIntosh continued: " though there are financial implications, as with many things, being able to drive does provide you with a lifelong skill that remains invaluable to all aspects of life at any age. "

RED Driving School teaches over 100,000 learner drivers each year, with over 1,600 driving instructors on the roads.