New research provided by AXA insurance has identified specific driving habits that cause accidents. The type of driver who exhibits these characteristics has been called the "stop start driver". This driver class is said to be between 17 and 29 with a valid license but drivers infrequently.
As there is a lack of experience this leads to lacking road knowledge (learned through time spent on the road) and low confidence. All of these elements pushed together can cause a heightened probability of accident occurrence. The types of accidents that are caused are quite typical and not only affects this driver but their poor driving causes accidents involving others.
The research shows that after passing the driving test 17% of people between 17 and 29 drive only once or twice a month. It also suggests that many people once passing the test will have driving gaps of several years which increases the lack of current road knowledge. Obviously when these people get back behind the wheel after such a long break they lack initial confidence which take time on the road to build back up.
The most shocking statistic from this research is that these drivers are likely to have four times more accidents that were their own fault than other groups of drivers. This begs the question of when people should take their driving test, whilst you can do this at your 17th birthday if your not planning to drive after the test should you really take it.
Surely it would be better if people took the test when they were going to follow on from the test and drive regularly. Taking and passing the driving test seems to be a right of passing more than a practical necessity. If you're putting yourself at risk of an accident surely you should put off this test until you will be in a position to get the needed experience after the test.
Maybe the test scenario should add in a variable like the pilot's license where you have fulfill a minimum amount of hours flying before you are classed as qualified. If you had to complete a number of hours in the car after passing the test and evidence this to your instructor then each driver who passes the test would get the initial amount of experience needed to reduce their risk on the road.
AXA's report also stated that drivers who get behind the wheel less than once or twice a month are five times more likely to experience an accident than those who drive regularly. It was also stated that the drivers that drive the least are also more likely to not have any insurance cover. So if you take the factors that they are more likely to have an accident if you are on the receiving end of a bump you might be much more unhappy if they have no insurance.
If you think about it logically think back to when you learnt something new, how long did you remember it for when you weren't using that information of skill on a regular basis. Driving is completely the same, especially if you think that some people don't drive for several years, to jump back in the saddle is a difficult thing to do.
It is also quite easy to think that your confidence would be low if you get behind the wheel after not driving for a number of years. The roads change constantly and the way that people drive on them changes as well. I relate this to driving on a road that you don't know, how many times do you see people driving faster on the same road when they know the turns and bumps. They are much more confident on that road than you are so you drive more carefully. Now add not driving for a number of years to this scenario and your driving skills won't be as sharp as they should be. We think the testing process should take this into account and should be looked at in the near future.
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/6094220
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