'Teenage driver deaths on the rise'

[J4MES]

The number of teenage motorists dying in road crashes in England and Wales has jumped in recent years despite fewer holding licences.

From here...

a few ambiguties here, a little sloppy - has the number of drivers increased by more than the % increase of youg drivers? The last four paragraphs aren't great either...

[BenW]

Have to remember that cars have also become more powerful and the variety of boy racer parts has increased. Means there are probably more boy racers around now and they're the ones likely to die

Just 4 months ago i knew someone who was killed in a car crash, he was out with a mate driving around in the early hours of the morning, took a roundabout too fast and rolled the car several times. The passenger wasn't wearing a seatbelt and was thrown out of the REAR window and died from brain damage.

I knew both driver and passenger, both chavs and wannabe racers. Boy who died always wanted a 350z........shame he never fufilled his dream

[dkmech]

He'd have probably survived if he had his seatbelt on too

[Konan555]

Have to remember that cars have also become more powerful and the variety of boy racer parts has increased. Means there are probably more boy racers around now and they're the ones likely to die

They're more powerfull, but not really any faster. And should be safer.

In a lot of cases, safer modern cars arn't within reach of the majority of 16 to 19 year olds finances.

And yes, you do see a lot of bad driving going on in barely roadworthy vehicles. Quite often with 3 passengers onboard in for the ride. Not putting a seatbelt on is some silly act of rebelion against the authorities in many cases.

[Howard]

It's true, you see too many people (mostly young men, and chavs, to add some stereotyping) driving hard in knackered old cars; Corsas, Novas, Fiestas and the like. Do they not realise their car isn't up to much in terms of both handling and safety?

It always saddens me when I read stories such as the one mentioned above in which four girls were killed beacuse the two drivers were racing. It's digraceful

[Rave]

I knew both driver and passenger, both chavs and wannabe racers. Boy who died always wanted a 350z........shame he never fufilled his dream

It's a shame, but equally it's probably for the best if he was the kind of knob who was going to rag around at high speed not wearing a seatbelt. Think of the damage he could have done stacking a fast heavy car like a 350Z into some other innocent motorist.

I blame Max Power and the like for this sort of idiocy to be honest. Read any issue and there's a thinly veiled (or sometimes explicit) reference to speeding and/or racing on the roads. With the rise of the trackday in this country, I just don't see the need. That's not to say I never speed etc., sometimes I do, I just always drive well within my limits and the limits of the road.

[BenW]

Maybe so, although he was a proper chav he was clever....when he tried. It was rare he ever tried but i saw him put some effort in occasionally and he got results

On your other point, they think they're in their limits....just as you do.