The studies of traffic safety in selected Western European countries and the USA have shown that on an international level, young people are particularly at risk in road traffic. For the countries under comparison the safety level is particularly unfavourable in Eastern Germany, Austria, France and Belgium; Sweden, the UK and the Netherlands have the most favourable safety levels. The population-related risk of young people has dropped internationally in a long-term comparison. However, young people (15-24 years) have a risk of being killed in road traffic which is twice that of older people (25-64 years). 18-20 year-olds are at particular risk; here the possession of a driving licence and the access to cars play a role in the interpretation of the currently considerable differences in the international comparison. In fatal road traffic accidents involving young people, the car is of major importance as a means of transport: by far the most deaths in road accidents were of car occupants. The proportion of drivers among the car occupants killed increases with age, but even among 18-20 year-olds more drivers than passengers are killed. Young drivers have a higher risk of accident on average than older road users not only because they have less driving experience, but because, on account of their living habits, they are more often on the move at night, i.e. under unfavourable conditions. Against this background risky driving behaviour has a particularly negative effect on the incidence of accidents; young people are not only involved in accidents with above-average frequency, the accidents which they cause are also particularly serious. Young age is reflected much more in serious accidents than a lack of driving experience. Age-related behaviour is also characterised to a great extent by regional influences. (A)
Abstract