Youngsters far more likely to speed

Britain's youngest drivers admit regularly speeding in urban areas, according to a new survey.

A survey by road safety charity Brake has revealed that 60% of drivers aged 17-24 admit to driving at 35mph or above in 30mph zones at least once a week, whereas just 37% of older drivers admit to the same offence.

Research suggests that a pedestrian hit at 35mph is twice as likely to die as one hit at 30mph.

The research also revealed that 40% of drivers aged 17-24 admitted to regularly breaking the 60mph limit on rural roads, compared to just 20% of drivers aged over 25.

Brake's head of education, Jools Townsend, said: 'This research serves as further indication that action must be taken to stop deadly risk-taking among young drivers.

'Breaking limits by just a few miles per hour can be lethal.'

With road crashes the biggest single killer of drivers aged 17-24, Brake is campaigning for the Government to introduce Graduated Driver Licencing (GDL).

The GDL scheme would include restricting younger drivers from carrying passengers at night and introduce a minimum period for learning to drive.