Young drivers and insurance - the facts - Introduction

It makes sense that young drivers pay more for car insurance. After all, Government statistics show they are five times more likely to crash in their first 250 miles of motoring, and that one in five has an accident in their first year of motoring.

Despite this, there's a real risk we're pushing youngsters into less-safe cars, and that they're increasingly risking driving without insurance because they cannot afford to pay high premiums.

A recent survey by Flux Insurance has picked out the 10 cheapest cars for which newly licensed drivers can get cover - but all of them have sparse safety provisions, particularly the older, cheaper models that are more likely to be within a younger person's price range.

In addition, Government figures suggest that one in 20 people are driving without insurance in this country - but when the small fines for those caught for this offence are less than the premiums demanded by the insurance companies for young drivers, that seems less of a surprise.