Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service is running its Top 3 campaign for a second year, highlighting the leading causes of fatal crashes among 17-24-year-olds and encouraging new young drivers, their passengers and their parents or carers to take practical steps to reduce these risks.
As the evenings begin to draw in and young people return to college, university or apprenticeships and work, the Service is urging everyone to think about how they can play a part in keeping young people safe on the road – from new drivers building experience, to passengers avoiding distractions and parents supporting safer driving habits.
Road traffic injuries are a leading cause of death for children and young people worldwide. In Great Britain, young drivers are over-represented in serious and fatal collisions. In 2022, 19% of all car driver fatalities were aged 17-24, and 24% of all fatalities from collisions involving a car driver involved at least one young driver.
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service attends around 850 collisions a year across its service area. The Service’s Road Safety Team says that small changes in driving habits can significantly reduce the likelihood of serious incidents.
Darren Mclatchey, Assistant Chief Fire Officer for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Many collisions involving young drivers are preventable. The Top 3 campaign is designed to make people aware of the risks and encourage safer decisions – whether that’s planning journeys in advance, avoiding late-night driving, or managing potential distractions from passengers.
“By returning to these important messages for a second year, we hope to keep the conversation going and encourage young drivers and their families to think about how they can build experience safely.”
The campaign recommends measures such as taking at least six months to learn to drive and allowing time to gain experience in different seasons and weather conditions. It also recommends avoiding driving between 11pm and 6am, when people are naturally more tired and hazards can be harder to see in darkness.
“Learning to drive over a longer period helps new drivers experience a wider range of situations before their test. Driving skills can be picked up quickly, but the judgement to use them well takes time,” Darren added.
The Service is also supporting calls for a post-test protection scheme in England, Scotland and Wales. This would promote varied driving practice before the test and temporarily restrict high-risk situations for new drivers, such as driving at night or carrying several passengers of a similar age.
Dan Quin, Road Safety and Road Rescue Lead at National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC), and Chief Fire Officer for Surrey Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Too many young lives are lost on our roads each year, and we know that inexperience, late-night driving, and the presence of similar-age passengers are the biggest risks for new drivers. The ‘Top 3’ campaign gives young people and their families clear, practical steps they can take to help stay safe.
“NFCC continues to call on Government to consult on post-test protection licensing, which would provide young drivers with the chance to gain experience more gradually while reducing exposure to the riskiest situations. Until then, campaigns like this are vital to raising awareness and saving lives.”
Other suggested approaches to reducing the three risks include creating a family agreement for the first three to six months after passing a driving test. This could limit new drivers to one peer-age passenger and encourage parents or caregivers to offer lifts to groups of friends.
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