Young drivers. Drivers involved in fatal or injury crashes per Drivers involved in fatal/injury crashes per 100. million km driven (bars)

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1 Young drivers CRASH FACTSHEET November 2013 CRASH STATISTICS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2012 Prepared by the Ministry of Transport In 2012 young drivers aged were involved in 73 fatal traffic, 549 serious injury and 2,626 minor injury. Of these, the year-old drivers had the primary responsibility 1 in 55 of the fatal, 436 of the serious injury and 2,044 of the minor injury. These resulted in 68 deaths, 567 serious injuries and 2,830 minor injuries. 2 The total social cost of the in which year-old drivers had the primary responsibility was $755 million. This is 24 percent of the social cost associated with all injury. The graph below (from the New Zealand Household Travel Survey 3 ) shows that male drivers in the year age group are approximately nine times more likely to crash (per 100 million kilometres driven) than male drivers in the lowest risk age group of years. Female drivers aged have a lower crash risk than males of the same age, but are still seven times more likely to crash (per 100 million kilometres driven) than female drivers in the lowest risk group of year-olds. Drivers in the year-old age group are approximately three to four times more likely to crash than the lowest risk group of the same gender. Number of drivers involved in fatal or injury per 100 million km driven (bars) and per licence holders (lines), by age and gender ( ) Drivers involved in fatal/injury per 100 million km driven (bars) Female Male Female Male Age group (years) Drivers involved in fatal or injury per licence holders - annual average (lines) 1 The determination of primary responsibility for a crash is based on the crash movements and crash cause factors assigned in the Crash Analysis System. It is not based on legal liability or court conviction. 2 Definitions for fatal, serious and minor injuries and social cost are given in Terminology at the end of the fact sheet. 3

2 As the graphs below illustrate, young drivers tend to be over-represented in all types of crash. Recent figures show that year-old drivers make up just 5 percent of all licensed car drivers 4. Yet, between 2010 and 2012, year-old drivers accounted for 12 percent of all drivers involved in minor injury, 11 percent of drivers in serious injury, and 9 percent of drivers involved in fatal. Similarly, year-old drivers make up approximately 9 percent of licensed car drivers but, between 2010 and 2012, they accounted for 15 percent of drivers involved in minor injury, 14 percent of drivers in serious injury, and 14 percent of drivers involved in fatal. Of all young drivers (15 24 years old) involved in fatal between 2010 and 2012, 78 percent were male. Males accounted for 69 percent of young drivers involved in serious injury and 61 percent of those involved in minor injury over the same period. Young drivers as a proportion of all crash involved drivers ( ) Minor Crash severity Serious Fatal 0% 5% 10% 15% Percentage years years Percentage of all fatal that involve young drivers ( ) Age group (years) years years Urban Open road 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% Percentage of fatal Note: This graph includes drivers of all types of motorised vehicle, including motorcycles. A high proportion of fatal involving young drivers (15 24 years old) occur on the open road. This is due to the typically high speeds on these roads, which results in a higher impact speed if a crash occurs. Thirty-two percent of all fatal involve a driver between the ages of 15 and The car licence population consists of drivers with full, restricted or learner car licences. (Motor Vehicle Crashes in New Zealand, 2012)

3 Time series Year Number % of all drivers in fatal Drivers involved in fatal and injury year-old drivers year-old drivers Fatal Injury Fatal Injury Number % of all Number % of all Number drivers drivers in injury in fatal % of all drivers in injury % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % Note: This table includes drivers of all types of motorised vehicle, including motorcycles. In August 2011 the age for obtaining a driver licence increased from 15 to 16. Vehicle type and gender of young drivers involved in fatal year-old drivers year-old drivers Car/van Motorcycle Car/van Motorcycle Year Male Female Total Male Female Total Male Female Total Male Female Total

4 Vehicle type for young drivers involved in fatal year old drivers involved in fatal by vehicle type ( ) Fatal Car/Van Motorcycle Since 1985 there has been an 82 percent reduction in the number of year-old car drivers involved in fatal, and a 97 percent reduction in the number of motorcycle riders in the same age group. Year year old drivers involved in fatal by vehicle type ( ) Car/Van Motorcycle Fatal Since 1985 there has been a 69 percent reduction in the number of year-old car drivers involved in fatal, and an 89 percent reduction in the number of motorcycle riders in the same age group involved in fatal Most of that drop occurred prior to Year

5 Who dies? People in the year-old age group are most likely to die in fatal in which young drivers of a similar age have the primary responsibility. Between 2010 and 2012, approximately 72 percent of the passengers who died in vehicles driven by young at-fault drivers were in the year-old age group. Deaths in where year-old drivers were at fault 5 ( ) Age At-fault drivers At-fault drivers passengers Other road users Unknown Total Note: The table includes drivers of all types of motorised vehicle, including motorcycles. When do young driver occur? Young drivers tend to be disproportionately represented in fatal at night. For example, between 2010 and 2012, over 50 percent of fatal occurring on Friday and Saturday nights involved a young driver, whereas only 26 percent of daytime fatal involved a young driver. Day Fatal involving year-old drivers by time of day and day of week ( ) Day ( ) Evening ( ) Night ( ) Fatal involving young drivers % all fatal Fatal involving young drivers % all fatal Fatal involving young drivers % all fatal Monday 15 23% 5 38% 2 17% Tuesday 19 24% 6 38% 6 27% Wednesday 13 20% 4 24% 11 42% Thursday 16 24% 7 29% 12 55% Friday 20 28% 12 33% 23 56% Saturday 25 32% 8 29% 34 52% Sunday 24 33% 5 25% 7 41% Total % 47 31% 95 46% Note: On the day shown, night begins at 2200 and finishes the following day at At-fault drivers are those with the primary responsibility for the crash.

6 Types of crash Driver contribution to fatal ( ), by age group year olds 25 + years old Lost control Too fast for conditions Alcohol Inexperience Inattention or attention diverted Driver tired or fell asleep Failed to keep left Too far left Showing off Failed to give way Alcohol/drugs, losing control and speed are the major contributing factors for young drivers involved in fatal. Young drivers are more than twice as likely to have speed or alcohol as a factor than drivers over the age of 25. Did not see other party Overtaking Suddenly braked or turned Misjudged speed, distance etc Illness/Disability Forbidden movement 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% Percentage of drivers Crashes which involve drivers losing control of their vehicles (Lost control/off road on the graph below) are a major feature in involving young drivers. Thirty-six percent of year-old drivers involved in fatal were in single-vehicle loss of control or run off road, compared with 23 percent for older drivers. In addition, many of the head-on also involve drivers losing control of their vehicles. Percentage of drivers involved in fatal by crash movement type ( ) Overtaking or lane change Head on Lost control / off road Collision with obstruction or rear end Intersection or turning Pedestrian years 25 years and over Other 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% Percentage of drivers

7 Licence status of young drivers in fatal The pie graphs below show the licence status of year-old drivers involved in fatal. Restricted and learner licence holders make up a large proportion of these drivers. A similar pattern occurs for year-old drivers involved in injury. This reflects the high number of learner and restricted licence holders in this age group. Licence status of year old drivers involved in fatal ( ) Overseas, 5% Disqualified / Forbidden, 3% Full, 31% Never licensed, 15% Learner, 12% Unknown / other, 4% Restricted, 30% Licence status of year old drivers involved in fatal ( ) Overseas, 8% Disqualified / Forbidden, 7% Never licensed, 2% Full, 41% Unknown / other, 9% Learner, 10% Restricted, 23% Note: Unknown/other includes drivers with an expired, unknown or wrong licence class.

8 Terminology Fatal injuries: injuries that result in death within 30 days of the crash. Serious injuries: fractures, concussions, internal injuries, crushings, severe cuts and lacerations, severe general shock necessitating medical treatment and any other injury involving removal to and detention in hospital. Minor injuries: injuries of a minor nature such as sprains and bruises. Social cost: a measure of the total cost of road to the nation. It includes: loss of life and life quality; loss of productivity; and medical, legal, court, and property damage costs. Additional Information For further information on crash statistics see Motor Vehicle Crashes in New Zealand, the annual statistical statement produced by the Ministry of Transport. This publication is online at Enquires relating to crash statistics may be directed to the Ministry of Transport, PO Box 3175, Wellington, or by at info@transport.govt.nz. For more information about road safety, visit the Ministry of Transport website at A selection of fact sheets is available via the research section of the Ministry of Transport website. These include: Crash facts: Travel survey: Alcohol and drugs Comparing travel modes Cyclists Driver travel Diverted attention Risk on the road Fatigue o Introduction and mode comparison Motorcyclists o Drivers and their passengers Pedestrians o Pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists Speed Walking Trucks Cycling Young drivers Motorcycling Disclaimer All reasonable endeavours are made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this report. However, the information is provided without warranties of any kind including accuracy, completeness, timeliness or fitness for any particular purpose. The Ministry of Transport excludes liability for any loss, damage or expense, direct or indirect, and however caused, whether through negligence or otherwise, resulting from any person or organisation's use of, or reliance on, the information provided in this report. The information in this report is made freely available to the public and may be used subject to these terms.