Car drivers make up half of young traffic fatalities

The proportion of car drivers in fatal road accidents is higher in the 18–25 age category than among over-25s. Young drivers also more often crash into trees, crash barriers or posts. Nevertheless, the number of young road deaths has been reduced by half over the past decade.

More than 1,500 young adults killed in traffic accidents in 10 years

In the past ten years, more than 1,500 young people in the age category 18−25 perished in traffic accidents, i.e. more than one sixth of the total traffic death toll. Half of these young traffic deaths were car drivers, as against one third of over-25s.

Proportion of car drivers among traffic deaths, 2000/2009

Fewer kilometres covered, more fatal accidents

Male motorists aged 18−25 are relatively often killed in traffic accidents. The risk of getting killed in road accidents is even higher for young road users, if the overall annual distance travelled by car is taken into account. Men aged 18−25 cover the shortest distance annually, but are most often involved in fatal road accidents per vehicle kilometre. Men aged 18 and 19 run the highest risk.

Car drivers killed per 1,000 kilometres travelled annually, 2000/2009

Young drivers more often involved in collisions with stationary objects

Over the past five years, nearly three quarters of fatal traffic accidents involved a young driver, one car and a stationary object; 83 percent died after collision with a tree, crash barrier or post. Car drivers over the age of 25 more often die after colliding into another vehicle.

Car drivers killed in traffic accidents by type of collision, 2005/2009

Traffic death toll among young drivers reduced

The number of young people killed in traffic accidents has been reduced by half over the past decade. This also applies to over-25s.

Car drivers killed in traffic accidents, 2000-2009

Kim de Bruin and Jan Hoogenboezem