Young drivers who speed and use their phones are having riskier moments behind the wheel

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2024-10-18 02:00

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Young drivers who speed or use their phones while behind the wheel are more likely to have a dangerous moment while driving, according to international research. To investigate teen driver behaviour, the researchers recruited 119 teens who had recently got their license, and had them download an app that tracked whether they were using their phones behind the wheel or speeding, and also the frequency of 'kinematic risky driving events' - moments of hard braking or rapid acceleration. The researchers say drivers sped during 43.9% of the trips recorded for the study, and participants picked up their phones during 34.1% of the trips. Both speeding and phone use were associated with more risky driving events, the researchers say, indicating there are clear dangerous driving behaviours that could be tackled to reduce dangerous moments on the road for young drivers.