The Shocking Dangers of 2018 Driving Trends Have Been Revealed

The Shocking Dangers of 2018 Driving Trends Have Been Revealed

A recent study by the UK-based vehicle-leasing specialist, Fulton Leasing, revealed that the generation of millennial drivers is responsible for the majority of frequent traffic violations.

The survey was conducted on 1,000 British Drivers in October 2018, and it brought to our attention that Millennials display the most dangerous driving behaviours while on the road. Those include using mobile devices while driving, tailgating and last-minute cutting into slip lanes.

Distracted driving leads its way as the most hazardous driving habit

The biggest ‘guilt-ridden confession’ of drivers’ aged 35 and under is distracted driving. Mobile phone use contributes not just to car accidents, but also to deaths and life-changing injuries.

According to the UK Department of Transport’s 2017 Annual Report on Reported Road Casualties, there were 1793 traffic fatalities in 2017 and 170,993 injuries due to road traffic collisions. Of these, mobile phone use was found to be a contributory factor in 33 of fatalities, 90 serious injuries, and 308 less serious injuries. This does not include pedestrians, and these numbers are based on 93,125 accidents.

As revealed by the Fulton Leasing’s survey, 13% of Millennials do admit to using their mobile phones while driving, despite the formal ban being in place in the UK.

The maximum penalty for using mobile devices behind the wheel compromises a fine of up to £200 as well as 6 points added to a driving licence, according to the British driving law.

Tano Di Girolamo, Managing Director at Fulton Leasing, comments: “A recent Highway England campaign raised awareness of just how dangerous tailgating can be, with one in eight road casualties caused by this habit. Using a mobile phone while driving will drastically impair a driver’s focus on the road and other cars around them.”

“Our study found millennial motorists admit to these habits more than any other age group, which could leave them and motorists around them in serious danger. It is also surprising to see such a high admission rate for mobile phone across all age groups when technology such as Apple Car Play and Bluetooth connectivity is becoming more prevalent in standard equipment lists. A potential concern is that drivers might be using their phone for other purposes such as email or Internet browsing, which could put drivers at even greater risk” – he adds.

What else are we guilty of?

45% of millennial drivers aged between 25 and 34 admit to accelerating through amber lights, while 11% of them are also guilty of running a red light if they have just changed.

It’s an offence for any part of your vehicle to pass the white stop line if a traffic light has turned red. In the UK, the maximum penalty for running a red light is £1,000 fine, 6 penalty points endorsed on the driver’s license. Additionally, if running a red light happens often, a driver can ultimately face disqualification by getting a permanent ban from driving.

Another confession many of young drivers are guilty of is hazardous motorway driving. According to the survey, an average of 9% across all age groups admit to tailgating other vehicles. Again, the highest percentage of offenders can be found in the millennial category, with 14per cent owning up to doing so.

While tailgating might not be perceived as an immediate offence, following another driver within a distance that makes it impossible to stop suddenly in case of emergency can lead police to issue on-the-spot fixed penalties for inconsiderate lane use (it also includes hogging the middle lane, with over 14% of young drivers owning to do so). The fine that can be encountered by such behaviour can reach the maximum of £100 as well as three penalty points.

Would you pass your driving test if you were to re-take it?

In the survey conducted by Fulton Leasing, drivers were also questioned about whether they felt they would pass their driving test if they were to take it again.

Surprisingly, 1 in 5 millennial admitted that they might find re-taking their driving test difficult, which makes them the least confident group among all respondents.

In contrast, drivers aged between 55 and 64 proved their driving skills to be solid, with almost 90% of them admitting that they would pass their test without difficulty.