Whilst the freedom of the road is something we all long for, there are many pressures that young drivers today feel when they’re behind the wheel. With 56% of young drivers planning on hitting the road this year for a road trip, we wanted to look at the pressures and distractions young drivers have behind the wheel, and try to give tips on preventing them.
Overtaking another vehicle
- Don’t overtake unless you’re absolutely certain it’s clear, and there is enough time for you to pass the vehicle in front safely
- Don’t let the pressure of other vehicles overtaking affect you. If you’re not confident, don’t go
- If you decide to overtake, consider dropping a gear. This will help you to build up your speed and overtake quickly and efficiently
Chatting to passengers
- Speak to your passengers before you head off. Explain you need to concentrate, and ask them to keep distraction to a minimum
- Don’t be afraid to speak up when driving if the chatty distractions become too much
- Take regular breaks in your journey. Keeping calm and concentrating for long periods of time can be exhausting, so blow off some steam at a service station with your pals before heading back off on the road
Playing music too loudly
- Pull together a playlist before setting off, chosen by all passengers so there’s no arguing of the song, and set a volume for the whole journey
- If you haven’t set a playlist, choose a radio station. That way, no one has control of the song choice and you can all listen to the music in the background
- If the music becomes too distracting, don’t be afraid to turn it down or off. Your concentration on the road and keeping everyone safe is much more important than the UK’s Top 10
There we have it – the top three biggest pressures that young drivers feel. Unfortunately, there are many more than this. These, mixed with distractions on the road can lead to accidents, so Marmalade’s top tip is to keep your cool, keep control and be confident – you’ve got this!
New Driver Insurance→
Get seamless cover before and after you pass your test on your own car!
*Research conducted by Fly Research, on behalf of Marmalade in June 2019 with 1,000 UK drivers under the aged of 30.