Road safety for young drivers and riders.
88 young people, aged 16-24, were seriously injured in road traffic collisions in the Dyfed-Powys area in 2023.
If you're a newly qualified driver heading out onto the roads for the first time, statistics show you're at a much higher risk than experienced drivers of being involved in a road traffic incident.
Speeding, using a mobile phone, not wearing a seatbelt, driving without due care, and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs can all lead to fatal and serious collisions - and are the most frequently reported causes of a fatal collision, known as the ‘Fatal 5'.
Roads Policing Sergeant Rob Hamer said:
“Road deaths caused by the Fatal Five behaviours have devastating consequences, not only on those involved in the collision, but also on their wider circle of family and friends. Fatal Five behaviours are all choices, and if everyone chose to drive safely, to make safety a choice not a chance, then we could see less tragedy on our roads.
“Keeping people safe on our roads is an issue that affects and involves everyone. Individuals, families, friends, and communities all have a role to play in helping to promote safer driving.
“In Dyfed-Powys, we police more than 8500 miles of roads. It is only by working together we can promote safer driving on every single one of them to improve road safety and ultimately help save lives.”
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The Fatal Five
Road users who commit one of the Fatal Five offences are far more likely to be involved in a fatal collision than those who do not.
When cars are driven badly, they can turn into a lethal machine. Driving without due care and attention puts you and other road users at risk of harm.
Examples of careless driving could be:
⚠️ Risky over-taking and undertaking.
⚠️ Not driving at an appropriate speed for the road and weather conditions – even if within the speed limit.
⚠️ Distractions such as eating, drinking and passenger distraction and mobile phone use.
⚠️ Lack of concentration and driving while fatigued.
⚠️ Driving too close to the vehicle in front.
⚠️ Not paying attention to road signs, road layouts and junctions. Assuming the right of way.
⚠️ Middle lane hogging and drifting between lanes.
⚠️ Failing to signal when changing lanes or turning, improper lane changes.
⚠️ Failure to stop for emergency vehicles.
It’s impossible to get alcohol out of your system quickly – it always takes time. A shower, a cup of coffee or other ways of ‘sobering up’ may make you feel better but won’t remove the alcohol from your system.
❌ If you've been out drinking, you may still be affected by alcohol the next day. You could lose your licence if you drive and are still over the legal limit.
Alcohol affects everyone differently and any amount can impair your ability to drive. The only safe option is to avoid alcohol completely if you’re driving as even ‘just one drink’ could put you over the limit.
If you're found to be over the drink-drive limit, and/or driving while impaired by drugs, you can receive:
⚠️ a criminal record
⚠️ a maximum penalty of six months in prison
⚠️ an unlimited fine
⚠️ an automatic driving ban of at least one year (three years if you have been convicted twice in 10 years)
Wearing a seat belt not only helps protect your safety, it helps protect the safety of others. In a crash, you’re twice as likely to die if you don’t wear a seat belt.
In 2022, 30% of car occupant fatalities among 17- to 29-year-olds were not wearing seat belts.
It is a legal requirement in the United Kingdom to wear a seat belt if one is fitted. There are only a few exemptions.
You can be fined up to £500 for not wearing a seat belt.
You can learn more about seatbelts and the law by visiting the Go Safe website.
Is that call or text really that important? Do you really need to change the playlist?
It’s illegal to use a handheld mobile phone while driving a motor vehicle. Even using a hands-free option can incur penalties if your driving is deemed to be dangerous.
The police have the right to stop you if they think you’re distracted and not in control of your vehicle, and you can be prosecuted.
It’s still illegal to use your hand-held mobile device if you're:
❌ Stopped at traffic lights.
❌ Queuing in traffic.
❌ Supervising a learner driver.
❌ Driving a car that turns off the engine when you stop moving.
❌ Holding and using a device that's offline or in flight mode when driving your car.
Speed limits are in place for the safety of all road users and are not targets to reach or exceed. There is a responsibility on all road users to drive according to the conditions of the road, within the legal speed limit and there is never an excuse for excess speeds.
⚠️ The minimum penalty for speeding is £100 fine and three points added to your licence.
⚠️ Receiving 12 or more points within three years may disqualify you from driving.
If you’re a newly qualified driver and receive six points during the first two years after passing your test, your licence will automatically be cancelled (revoked). To get it back, you’ll need to apply and pay for a new provisional licence and pass both theory and practical tests again.
Top tips for safe driving for young drivers and riders
- Don't use your mobile phone while driving However good a driver you are, texting, looking at your phone, making or receiving a call (even if you are using 'hands free') can distract your attention.
- Put your seatbelt on - and make sure your passengers are using theirs. In a collision, an unbelted passenger in the back can kill or seriously injure a person in the front.
- Don't drive under the influence of drink or drugs. Any alcohol, even a small amount, can impair your driving ability, as can illegal substances. The likes of cannabis and cocaine can stay in your system for days and even weeks.
- Don’t speed.
- Adjust your driving to the conditions of the road. A few miles per hour faster can mean the difference between life and death.
- Avoid distractions. When you’re driving, make driving the only thing you’re doing. Make-up, food, and mobile phones can wait.
- If you have children in the car, stop if you need to attend to them, and have plans in place to keep them occupied.
- Take a break - tiredness can kill. Plan regular breaks on a long journey.
- Anticipate and observe other road users and use your mirrors regularly.
- Keep your distance from the car in front.
- Only overtake when it is safe and legal to do so.
- Take care at junctions – check, check, and check again.
- Know your route. If you are heading off on holiday, check the route in advance.
- Ahead of a long journey, make sure your car is roadworthy, topped up with water, and check your tyres for pressure and tread depth.
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Operation Snap: report a driving offence.
See it. Snap it. Send it! Operation Snap is an online portal where you can upload footage of suspected driving offences. Every single submission is viewed and where the footage shows a traffic offence, action is taken.
You can report driving offences such as:
- Dangerous driving.
- Driving without due care and attention.
- Careless driving.
- Not wearing a seatbelt.
- Failing to stop at a red traffic light.
- Crossing solid white lines.
- Offences where a driver is clearly not in proper control of a vehicle.
Find out more: