Young designated drivers too distracted by passengers

Driving home with a young designated driver can be more dangerous than expected, as they are often easily distracted by their passengers, according to a study done by road safety research foundation SWOV, AD reports. More than 40 percent of passengers killed in a traffic accident on a weekend nigh, were in the car with a young man between the ages of 18 and 24 years behind the wheel. On weekend nights about 1 in 5 cars are in the control of an inexperienced driver, often with many passengers in the car. Between 2010 and 2014 a total of 177 passengers below the age of 24 years were killed in car accidents. The accidents often involved groups of friends getting into an accident after a night out. According to researcher Sjoerd Houwing, there is an accumulation of risks when it comes to young designated drivers. Their youth, their lack of experience as a driver and passengers distracting them together form a deadly combination. If alcohol is involved, the risks are even greater. A drunk driver under the age of 30 is 170 times more likely to get into a fatal accident than an experienced, sober driver.