Teenage driver crash risks remain.

More than 200 teeenage car passengers were killed when a young driver was involved

in a crash in 2013 according to the latest figures.

In 2013, 234 teenage passengers were killed, more than four each week of the year and when casualties of all severities are included the annual figure rose to 2,144

or around 41 each week according to research by the RAC foundation.

The data also shows that of all teenage car passengers killed or seriously injured over this period:

– 45% were passengers in cars driven by 17 _ 19 year olds(1.5%

of all full license holders)

– 23% were passengers in cars driven by 20 _ 24 year olds (5.8%

of all full license holders)

_ 31% were passengers in cars driven by drivers aged 25 and over ( 92.6%

of all full license holders)

_ 1% were passengers in cars driven by drivers aged 16 and younger, drivers (17_19) make up only (1.5%) of full license holders , but they were involved in (12% ) of accidents where someone is killed or seriously hurt.

RAC foundation director Stephen Glaister said: the coalition government repeatedly promised to publish a green paper on young driver safety and repeatedly failed to do so. In the meantime young people have  continued to die on our roads. We would urge the new government to do what the the last one did not and debate the subject formally and publicly.