Insurance companies are calling for stricter alcohol rules for young drivers!

Insurance companies are calling for stricter alcohol rules for young drivers!

In the current debate about road safety, the insurance industry is calling for an extension of the ban on drinking and driving. Currently the ban applies until the age of 21, but many experts see the need to increase this limit to 24 years. star reports that young drivers are disproportionately involved in traffic accidents in which alcohol plays a role.

In 2023, a total of 1,287 accidents occurred involving drivers ages 18 to 24 under the influence of alcohol, resulting in 18 deaths and 372 serious injuries. The alarm is particularly strong because nearly two-thirds of these alcohol-related accidents were caused by drivers between the ages of 21 and 24. In general, there were 2,839 traffic deaths in Germany in the same year. According to the head of accident research, Kirstin Zeidler, the alcohol ban is an important protective shield for young drivers.

Risk factors and statistics

ADAC accident research shows that the number of young drivers involved in accidents has decreased in recent years, but the risk for 18 to 24 year olds remains high. This group causes accidents twice as often as older road users. An analysis of 18,000 data sets between 2005 and 2020 confirmed that 29% of accidents involving young drivers are solo accidents, while this proportion is only 18% for older drivers.

Young drivers are prone to common driving mistakes such as excessive speed and insufficient driving experience. What is particularly striking is that 76% of accidents occur outside of town, on country and federal highways. In collisions with other vehicles, an error when turning or crossing is to blame in over 20% of cases.

Education and measures

The ADAC emphasizes that young drivers often overestimate their driving skills and do not adapt their speed to the traffic conditions. In addition, they often drive vehicles that are, on average, almost 1.5 years older than the vehicles of other drivers. 49% of the vehicles involved in accidents were driven by young drivers aged 11 or older, which compares to 38% for all car drivers.

Another risk is not wearing a seat belt, which is 5.2% more common among young drivers than others. This inattention leads to more serious injuries in the event of an accident. In order to counteract the situation, the experts are not only calling for the alcohol ban for younger drivers to be extended, but also for mandatory driver training on how to deal with alcohol and driving, as well as stricter alcohol controls.

In addition, a wide range of local public transport and alternative transport options could help reduce alcohol-related road accidents and thus increase safety for all road users.