Nearly 70% of young drivers feel pressure to engage in risky driving, new research by UCD has found.
The study found that 68% of young drivers would speed in order to keep up with traffic, while 62% would overtake a cyclist with minimal space to keep other drivers happy.
The research also found there was a higher prevalence of dangerous driving among those who consume social media.
On The Claire Byrne Show, Dr Connor McCluskey of UCD said they were surprised by the "magnitude" of young people who drive dangerously.
“Around 70% of drivers felt the need to keep up with traffic, even if it involved speeding,” he said.
“That's something that maybe seems innocent enough; actually, exceeding the speed limit, in maybe a 30 zone going up to 50, does actually have a major effect on fatality risk if there is a collision.”
'The behaviour out there is from everybody'
Also on the programme, driving instructor Jimmy Cleary said people need to treat young drivers with more consideration.
“This past couple of years, the public driving out there do not want learner drivers on the road,” he said.
“I could be at a set of traffic lights with a learner driver; we're the first car, the light turns green, the learner driver is going to take a couple of seconds to take off.
“The people behind are resting on their horns and overtaking, the learner driver, they're overtaken on the inside, they're overtaken on the outside.”
Mr Cleary continued that many older drivers behave in an irresponsible manner when they get behind a steering wheel.
“I love when I see the Gardaí Síochána behind me - it's absolutely a God is a godsend,” he said.
“If there's Gardaí behind us because nobody behaves that way.
“Now, cameras might be one thing to look at, but certainly the behaviour out there is from everybody.
“I'm not just putting it down to younger drivers; some of the most dangerous drivers out there are people in my generation.”
So far this year, 90 people have died on Ireland's road - seven more than during the same period last year.
Main image: A young woman driving a car. Picture by: Tero Vesalainen / Alamy.
