Dangers posed by North West new drivers

The region also has the highest number of nervous new drivers, together making the roads particularly dangerous.

Garmin, a worldwide provider of navigation technology, launched a study to mark the current Road Safety Week. Supported by road safety charity Brake, it highlights the dangers new drivers may be to themselves and those they share the roads with.

Receiving your full driving licence is a huge step towards independence, so much so almost two thirds of parents surveyed are more worried about their child passing their driving test than achieving an exam result. However, research reveals that having their child alone on the roads leaves over three quarters of parents with stress and worry.

Yet despite the fact almost two thirds of new drivers would describe themselves as “good drivers” their bad habits seem to all but confirm the reason for their parents’ worries.

Shockingly, in the past year new drivers have admitted to making “major mistakes which could see them instantly fail their driving test. These include distractions both generally and by in-car media, driving nervously, not using their mirrors, speeding and road rage.

Brake campaigns director Joshua Harris said: “This study highlights the number of new drivers making potentially dangerous mistakes on our roads and is serious cause for concern.”