Young drivers admit they take the biggest risks on the road and present the greatest danger to themselves and others, research by Green Flag Motoring Assistance revealed.
Working with road safety charity Brake, Green Flag found that compared with other motorists, drivers aged 17 to 25 were more likely to speed, drive under the influence of drugs, while one in four said they were likely take to the road the morning after a heavy drinking session.
Drivers in that age group were twice as likely as other age groups to drive under the influence of illegal and prescription drugs. Two thirds said they had set off on a journey either tired or stressed.
The Green Flag research also revealed that young drivers were more likely to speed, to overtake when they couldn't see what was coming, to break the speed limit when overtaking, and twice as likely to use a mobile phone while driving.
However, the research also showed a willingness among young drivers learn better driving skills with two in five willing to undergo further training compared with only a third of all drivers questioned in the survey.
A Green Flag spokesman said: "These findings back up the fact that young drivers present the biggest risk to themselves and others on the road.
"They are clearly the group most likely to take risks with theirs and others' lives, emphasising the need for safe and expert role models and more stringent testing."
