It is a fact that there can be increased risk factors associated when driving with many occupants in a car.
Driving with friends in the car can be very distracting, and it can affect driving behaviours. Latest DVSA data shows that young men aged 17-24 are the highest risk group of all car drivers. Drivers are not intentionally being distracted and increasing the risks; it is purely down to the influence of friends in the car. It becomes more about how well a driver can manage the situation. Driving is an effortful activity, requiring concentration and focus, especially in the early years of passing a driving test.
The BIG TOM intensive driving course does cover this subject as part of the flagship two-week course. It is one of many factors that can affect driving behaviours. Drivers need to recognise increased risk factors when they drive independently. Raising awareness of how external and internally generated factors can alter how someone drives a car is an essential aspect of the training programme.
Tom Ingram (Owner of BIG TOM) adds:
“It is not just a problem related to when driving with other occupants present. It can also occur when passengers get in a car, when they may know some of the occupants but perhaps not the driver. Younger people can be reluctant to speak out about how they feel danger when someone else is driving. Drivers have a responsibility to keep their passengers safe and feeling safe, and this is an important point on our two-week intensive driving course.”
The two-week intensive course starts from £1497 – call us on 0800 689 4174
