According to new research, one child a week is being prosecuted for dangerous driving on UK roads.
In 2015, at least one child a week was convicted of dangerous driving with over 66 minors successfully prosecuted; 12 children were found to be ‘driving or attempting to drive with alcohol level above the permitted limit’; four were prosecuted for ‘driving or attempting to drive then failing to supply a specimen for analysis’; one was convicted after drugs were found in their system and most shockingly of all, a child was prosecuted ‘for causing death by dangerous driving’.
Digging deeper into the figures over the past three years reveals even more worrying statistics with 923 under-age drivers prosecuted for driving offences more than once, including three children aged 12 and a 16 year old who has been prosecuted 15 times. It means more and more children under the age of 17 are being disqualified before they are old enough to actually get behind the wheel of a car.
According to Churchill Insurance who uncovered the findings via Freedom of Information requests, this issue is compounded further by punishments only taking effect from the date of conviction. It means that some of the resulting bans have run their course before the child has reached the legal driving age; in other words, such prosecutions could fail to act as effective deterrents.
While the volumes of offences concerning underage and under the influence drivers are low, the impact on the victims and their families involved in accidents with these drivers is immeasurable. Highlighting these frightening statistics will hopefully act as a catalyst for the government and educators to address this issue as a matter of urgency.”
– Steve Barrett, head of car insurance, Churchill Insurance.
Image © West Midlands Police