Young drivers are the focus of a Road Safety Symposium being held in Hobart as part of National Road Safety Week this week.

Assistant Commissioner Glenn Frame will take part in the symposium today, which aims to discuss the overrepresentation of drivers aged 17-25 years in road trauma.

“Young people are risk takers but on the road the consequences can be serious injury that could change a young life forever or death. A third of serious road crash casualties are aged between 17 and 25 but they are only 11 percent of the driving population. Road crashes are the second biggest cause of death in this age group,” Assistant Commissioner Frame said.

“Taking risks has no place behind the wheel of a car.”

Also as part of the week, Police will be focussing on those contributing factors:

• failing to wear seatbelts or restraints correctly
• speed and not driving to the conditions
• inattention and distraction – eg using mobile phones while driving
• driving while tired
• driving while affected by alcohol or drugs

“We’ll be conducting high visibility patrols targeting the ‘Fatal Five’ causes of road crashes, as well as targeted covert operations for all road users, including motorcyclists,” Assistant Commissioner Glenn Frame said.

Emergency services vehicles will display a yellow ribbon for the week as a reminder to drive so others survive and to remember those killed or injured and their families.

For more info check out http://www.roadsafetyweek.org.au/