November 30, 2017

“Hundreds” of Underage Drivers Caught Every Year in UK

A 15-year-old boy has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving after five people died after a car smashed into a tree.

Two men and three children all travelling in the same car, were instantly killed in the “catastrophic” crash on Saturday night in Leeds.

West Yorkshire Police said the suspect would appear at Leeds Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday morning, charged with five counts of causing death by dangerous driving.

The crash happened just before 10pm when shocked neighbours reported hearing a “loud bang” and seeing a car “completely squashed”. A forensic investigator was later seen photographing debris next to yellow evidence markers.

Recent research by an insurance firm has shown that hundreds of underage drivers are being caught every year in the UK, and numbers are rising. Last year alone, 725 under 17s received a driving ban after being caught behind the wheel, before they’re even old enough to hold a licence.

This has prompted calls for tougher penalties to prevent underage driving. The number of repeat offenders suggests that the current system of disqualification is not proving an effective deterrent to underage drivers, with some children caught behind the wheel 15 times.

Safe driving from Britannia!