Young driver news
20/03/2009
Car insurance firm calls for hands-free mobile ban
New research has shown that keeping young driver car insurance as cheap as possible is at risk from mobile phone use, even if young drivers choose a hands-free system.
According to yesinsurance.co.uk, research carried out at the Transport Research Laboratory has shown that the reaction times of drivers who use both hand-held and hands-free mobile phones are, on average, 30 per cent slower than drivers who have consumed alcohol and 50 per cent slower than sober drivers.
The insurer has since called for a ban on hands-free mobile phone use for drivers under the age of 20.
Similar road safety tests undertaken at the University of Utah confirmed the findings, and research carried out at the University of Sydney has revealed that drivers using hands-free kits are four times more likely to crash than other drivers.
A spokesperson for yesinsurance.co.uk said, "There is a growing body of research that indicates that drinking alcohol and using a hands-free mobile phone carry similar levels of risk."
"Worldwide, road traffic accidents are the leading cause of death among 15-19 year olds. Extending the drink-driving laws to cover all mobile phone usage for younger drivers will help us to reduce this risk."
A spokesperson for Hoot Insurance Services, said, "Young driver car insurance is high because young drivers are statistically at the greatest risk of being involved in a car accident. By reducing the danger associated with mobile phone use while driving a reduction could be made in the number of young person road deaths and insurance for young drivers could be reduced."
