Young drivers 85% more likely to be involved in road accidents than older drivers

Ellen O'Donoghue

Young drivers are 85 per cent more likely to be involved in road accidents than older drivers, according to AXA.

The insurer released data that revealed young drivers under the age of 24 were 85 per cent more likely to be involved in accidents than 2024 than drivers over the age of 25, and 135 per cent more likely to cause injury to another party.

Their claims data has also shown that young male drivers were 43 per cent more likely to be involved in road traffic accidents than females last year.

AXA shared the data to mark the launch of its national Roadsafe Roadshow for 2025, run in association with An Garda Síochána, members of the emergency services, and local authorities.

The roadshow is aimed at transition year students across the country.

The AXA Roadsafe Roadshow is to visit 10 locations around Ireland and will be attended by an estimated 18,000 transition year students.

It provides a recreation of a night out that ends in tragedy with a serious road accident, along with first-hand accounts from the first responders to road traffic accidents, the survivor of an accident and Leo Lieghio, the father of Marisa Leighio, who died following a road traffic accident in Clondalkin.

The AXA Roadsafe Roadshow aims to encourage the next generation of young road users to actively consider the importance of road safety and the impact that dangerous driving, speeding, substance use and distracted driving can have on themselves and others.

AXA has also partnered with the Irish School of Motoring to provide the 12 essential driver training lessons at a discounted rate to further support safer driving among young road users.

Mick Comerford, retail direct director at AXA said that for young people, getting behind the wheel of a car for the first time and learning to drive is an “exciting milestone.

“However, with that additional independence comes responsibility to drive safely for yourself and for all road users. Our data shows that young drivers are significantly more likely to be involved in road accidents than older drivers,” Mr Comerford said.

The AXA Roadsafe Roadshow will visit locations in Cork, Mayo, Louth, Kildare, North Dublin, Kerry, Meath, Donegal and the Midlands throughout 2025.