Young drivers say they feel pressured to drive faster by other motorists. To address the issue, Co-op has begun a trial of T-plates to help those with telematics (‘black box‘) car insurance feel safer.
Almost one in four young drivers aged 17-25 physically feel unsafe when they drive, due to the pressure from other motorists.
Nearly three in four have been overtaken when it wasn’t safe to do so – and 43 percent have received rude hand gestures from other drivers.
The nationwide T-plate pilot aims to combat this and help young drivers feel safer on the roads.
“Drivers with black boxes will see their insurance premiums increase, or in some extreme cases, their policies cancelled if they don’t drive as they should,” said Co-op Insurance MD Charles Offord.
“Yet, currently it’s impossible for other motorists to know if another vehicle has a black box fitted.
“Young drivers want other motorists to know this, which is why we’re launching the T-plate.”
Backed by road safety charities
Co-op surveyed more than 24,000 young drivers and six in 10 said the T-plate would make them feel less pressured.
The trial begins today with hundreds of young drivers. The plan is to roll it out to thousands more in the coming months.
The initiative has been backed by road safety charity Brake and driving school RED.
Co-op research shows that more than six in 10 young drivers will look to use telematics car insurance, to help keep the cost of getting onto the road under control.
“The cost of my insurance has come down quite a bit since having the black box installed,” said 21-year old driver Callum Smith.
However, “I am often made to feel like I’m in the wrong for sticking to the right speed limit by other drivers.
“If they knew I had a black box, I think they would ease up a bit.”
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