Parents 'passing on bad habits to young drivers'

Date: 15/9/2011

Parents may be partly to blame for some of the bad driving habits exhibited by today's young motorists, according to new research.

AXA Car Insurance has revealed that drivers aged between 18 and 30 years old are three times more likely to either receive points on their licence or be banned from getting behind the wheel if their mother or father has been subject to one of these penalties.

In addition, young people who witness their parents consuming alcohol before driving are seven times more likely to do it themselves than those who have not, while those who consider their mum or dad to be an aggressive motorist are 50 per cent more likely to adopt similar behaviours.

These include swearing at other motorists, beeping the horn in an aggressive way and overly flashing the headlights.

Robin Reames, Chief Claims Officer at AXA Car Insurance, said: "I'm sure most parents would hate to think that the lessons they are teaching their children while they sit in the back of the car could end up in behaviour on the road that leads to a tragic road accident."

Today (September 15th), the House of Commons Transport Select Committee has put forwards proposals to the government that include introducing a tougher driving examination in order to improve road safety and understanding of the Highway Code.

Posted by Sarah Bailey