Skip to main content

Young Driver scheme improving road safety

The Co-operative Insurance company in the UK says that new data shows that the introduction of telematics technology is leading to better driving behaviour from Britain's young road users. Intelligence gathered from the company’s 'smartbox' scheme shows that 35% are consistently showing 'excellent' driving while less than 5% demonstrate 'poor' driving habits. The Young Driver scheme, launched just over a year ago, measures driving behaviours including speed, braking and cornering. It then scores these from
June 25, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
Data from the Young Driver 'smartbox' shows that 82% of 17 to 25 year-olds achieved the top score for sticking to speed limits, although only 13% scored top marks for braking and accelerating.
The 6010 Co-operative Insurance company in the UK says that new data shows that the introduction of 1681 Telematics Technology is leading to better driving behaviour from Britain's young road users. Intelligence gathered from the company’s 'smartbox' scheme shows that 35% are consistently showing 'excellent' driving while less than 5% demonstrate 'poor' driving habits.

The Young Driver scheme, launched just over a year ago, measures driving behaviours including speed, braking and cornering. It then scores these from one (poor) to five (excellent) and rewards discounts on insurance premiums to those who score consistently well.

David Neave, director of general insurance for The Co-operative, said: “The data shows that the vast majority of our customers are responding well to a ‘carrot’ rather than ‘stick’ approach, improving their driving skills because they are rewarded for doing so. Our scheme is only in its infancy, but it is clear that if telematics was taken up on a larger scale it could be a major step forward in improving road safety.”

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Driver with 51 penalty points still allowed to drive
    January 12, 2016
    Three drivers with more than 40 points on their driving licences are still allowed on the road, according to a Freedom of Information request to the DVLA by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM). The enquiry also found that 13 people in Britain currently have 28 or more points on their driving licence, the worst of those amassing 51 points. In addition, the numbers of drivers with 12 or more points has gone up by nine per cent in just seven months between March and October 2015 – from 6,884 to 7,517.
  • Ford Research looking to help drivers manage stressful situations on the road
    June 28, 2012
    Engineers in the Ford Research and Innovation labs are developing ways to help the driver stay focused in busy situations by intelligently managing incoming communications. Data from the sensing systems of driver-assist technologies can be used to determine the amount of external demand and workload upon a driver at any given time including traffic and road conditions. In addition, Ford continues its health and wellness research with the development of a biometric seat, seat belt and steering wheel that can
  • Workzone safety can be economically viable
    October 24, 2014
    David Crawford looks how workzone safety can be ‘economically viable’. Highway maintenance is one of the most dangerous construction industry occupations in Europe. Research from The Netherlands on fatal crashes indicates that the risk facing road workzone operatives is ‘significantly higher’ than that for the general construction workforce. A survey carried out by the Highways Agency, which runs the UK’s motorway and trunk road network, has suggested that 20% of road workers have suffered injuries from pa
  • Evolving Australia's truck weighing programme
    March 1, 2013
    Regulating heavy truck weight isn’t all about sensors in the road… this year marks a significant point in the progression of Australia’s Intelligent Access Programme as its administrators attempt to answer the scheme’s critics. Jon Masters reports. Australia’s Intelligent Access Programme (IAP), the country’s telematics-based system of reg­ulating movement of the heaviest vehicles, is now five years old. The IAP is administered by Transport Certification Australia (TCA) whose general manager for strategic d