Recent research highlights the heightened risk faced by young drivers who own their cars, suggesting they’re more prone to serious accidents compared to those sharing family vehicles.
A comprehensive study involving 20,000 newly-licensed drivers in New South Wales revealed personal car owners are significantly more likely to undergo crashes leading to hospital admissions or fatalities within the first year of driving. The risk persists, with a 50% increase in accidents three years post-licensing, dwindling to a 10% rise after seven years.
Professor Rebecca Ivers from UNSW, who co-led the study, advises against the common practice of buying young adults their vehicles, citing the dangerous blend of inexperience and the false sense of security ownership may bring.
The findings also note a correlation between sole ownership and a propensity for risky driving behaviours, including drug and alcohol usage, underscoring the need for caution and collective car use among young motorists to enhance road safety.
