Young drivers are twice as likely to be involved in a collision than the average motorist, and young men are the most likely of all, according to figures from insurance company Unive which were published by the AD on Thursday.

Some 2.2% of Unive clients are involved in a collision at some point, but that percentage rises to 5% among the under-24s. “Youngsters would appear to have more difficulty in overseeing traffic situations and they unwittingly take more risks on the road,” Unive director Marco Nanne told the paper.

The figures were produced via an app called Veilig op weg (safe on the road) which allows clients to earn premium discounts in return for good road behaviour. But some 8.8% of young men fail when it comes to driving performance, compared with just 1.2% of young women, the AD said.

In particular, youngsters are more likely to drive too fast than older motorists, they are poor at anticipating traffic situations and easily distracted, Unive said.

Traffic psychologist Mariette Pol told the paper that youngsters tend to treat being in a car together as a social event. “And that can lead to them showing off, which in turn can lead to more accidents,” she said.