Young men at risk from drink driving

04 January 2009

Young men are twice as likely to drink drive as young women according to a new snap poll of RAC free2go members*.

One in five men aged between 17 and 20 said they had knowingly driven over the alcohol limit in the last year compared with only one in every ten women.

RAC Head of Member Advocacy Matt Brown said the results of the snap poll were worrying and proved that some young people were not getting the drink driving road safety message.

“It is proven that people who drink and drive are much more likely to be killed or seriously injured on our roads, especially inexperienced drivers,” Mr Brown said.

“The effects of alcohol include lengthening reaction times, decreasing coordination and the ability to make decisions and increasing drowsiness and the appetite. This can be a lethal cocktail that significantly increases the risk of being involved in an accident.”

Young men aged between 17 and 24 are particularly vulnerable and are four times more likely to be involved in a serious crash than other drivers on the road according to Mr Brown.

The RAC survey also revealed that many young people were happier to be skippered by a friend who was over the alcohol limit than drive themselves.

“A quarter of all young men and women said they had travelled in a friend’s car when they knew the driver was over the legal alcohol limit,” Mr Brown said.

“This shows that young people do not understand the risks of getting into a car with someone who is over the limit.

“Unfortunately, when crashes happen it is often the passengers who are killed or seriously injured and not the driver.


“We urge young people to be responsible and to make the right decisions. If you know a friend has been drinking then don’t jump into the car with them.

“Call a taxi or a parent to collect you or find someone who has not been drinking to drive you home – it’s better to suffer that inconvenience than not arrive home at all.”

Less young people admitted to drug driving in the survey with only one in twenty young men and one in one hundred young women saying they had driven under the influence of drugs.

However, eight per cent of young people said they had travelled in a car driven by someone they knew had taken illicit drugs.

“Drug driving is a serious and dangerous offence and can have a major impact on someone’s ability to drive,” Mr Brown said.

“If you face the situation of getting into a car when you know the driver has taken drugs then say no because the journey could well end in tragedy.”

Notes to editors:

Free2go is a three year introductory membership program that offers a range of benefits for young people aged 17 – 20 including a years free roadside assistance and road safety tips to help keep young people safe on the roads.


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