Young drivers are most influenced by their parents’ driving behaviour, according to a new French study.
Parental influence weighs heavier than that of a driving instructor, according to the study, carried out by Ipsos for the Vinci Autoroutes Foundation.
The study discovered that 65 per cent of motorists aged 18 to 25 said they were influenced by the driving habits of their mother or father, more than the rest of their family (10 per cent) or their driving instructor (25 per cent).
The majority of the young drivers said their parents were aware of the risks of alcohol and drugs at the wheel (73 per cent) and the wearing of seat belts (68 per cent). However, almost half said they had received little, if any, education on the risks related to speed (44 per cent) or using a mobile phone while driving (43 per cent).
The survey also identified evidence of parental behaviour being ‘copied’ by young drivers. For example, three quarters of young people (72 per cent) whose parents did not stop to let pedestrians pass demonstrated the same behaviour.
Click here to view the report (French).
