Young drivers rate their skills but speed and drink behind the wheel, RAC survey reveals

Overconfident young drivers are endorsing risky behaviour behind the wheel, with almost one in four believing phones are safe to use without a hands free connection, a survey reveals. Ahead of the implementation of strict new passenger limits for P-platers on Sunday, the RAC has released a survey revealing that three-quarters of drivers aged 17 to 21 rated their driving as better or much better than others their age. Despite the surety of their skills — with 77 per cent confident they understood WA’s road rules — 22 per cent believed it was safe to use a mobile phone without a hands-free connection and per cent thought it safe to drive when over the blood alcohol limit. Almost 60 per cent confessed to driving 10km/h above the speed limit, with a staggering 28 per cent believing it was safe. Alarmingly, one in 10 said they had been a passenger where they thought the driver was under the influence of drugs. The survey comes amid WA’s horror annual road toll, which sits at 163 — the worst since 2016. Of those, 11 have been aged between 17 and 19, with another 30 between 20 and 29. RAC’s Will Golsby said overconfidence among young drivers was leading to dangerous decisions and tragic consequences. “Young people are some of the most vulnerable on our roads, becoming even more high risk as they transition from supervised driving to provisional licences,” he said. “While young drivers may feel sure of their abilities, their willingness to engage in high-risk behaviours suggests a lack of understanding of the potential consequences. “These results indicate a concerning disconnect between perceived ability and actual safe driving practices among our youngest drivers.” The survey comes ahead of the rollout of Tom’s Law on Sunday, which will result in P-platers being slapped with a tough new passenger limit of one person for the first six months The laws, rushed through Parliament in October, were introduced after the advocacy of Samantha Saffioti, whose 15-year-old son Tom was killed in 2021 when the car he was one of five passengers in crashed in Seville Grove. In an emotional plea to the State Government, Ms Saffioti called for the laws to be passed and in force before summer. Mr Golsby said RAC had used the Government’s recent emergency road safety summit to call for more restrictions on young drivers. “It has been a tragic year on WA roads and we welcome recent steps by the WA Government, including the new one passenger limit for red P-platers,” he said. “Inexperience and overconfidence are a deadly combination which is why it’s crucial we continue to focus on educating our young drivers about road safety, including the effects of alcohol, speed, reckless behaviour, and distraction. “We look forward to seeing what additional measures are considered and implemented.” Road Safety Minister David Michael has committed to further reviews of road safety laws and has previously flagged changes to P-platers access to high-powered vehicles.