10 tips to stay safe

1. Be especially careful late at night Younger driver accidents in Essex peak between 6pm and midnight. Try to avoid driving late at night if you can - but if you have to drive at this time be especially careful.
2. Take responsibility for passengers The more young people there are in a car, the greater the risk of a crash. Think of your passengers as your responsibility and avoid doing anything to put them at risk.
3. Resist peer pressure If your passengers have had a drink or are keen to get somewhere in a hurry, resist any encouragement to drive faster or take risks. Take responsibility for your passengers even if they are acting irresponsibly.
4. Don't show off More young females die as passengers than as drivers. If you are a lad, don't put your girlfriend's life at risk by showing off, taking risks and driving too fast.

5. Maintain safe spacing Leave plenty of space in front, behind and to the sides of other vehicles. Be an island - stay away from traffic as much as possible. This improves your visibility - and gives you more time to react to situations.
6. Plan you escape route Anticipate potentially troublesome situations - and know what to do when you see them. Analyse what other vehicles/ drivers/riders are doing and try to predict the outcome. Then make sure you're ready to avoid a bad outcome.
7. Take advanced training No matter how careful you are, advanced training will improve the way in which you drive - and increase your chances of staying safe and avoiding a crash or collision. For further details contact the Institute of advanced motorists.
8. Don't give in to road rage Don't try and 'get even' with another driver. It's better to calm down, slow down and collect your thoughts before continuing with your ride.
9. Don't allow tailgating If someone is tailgating you don't accelerate unless you have a lane to move into. Ease up and drop back, or better still pull over and let them pass. And don't tailgate the vehicle in front - if they stop suddenly, could you?
10. Maintain your vehicle Regular maintenance will help keep your vehicle safe. Keep a record of when you replace tyres, clutch cables, batteries, brakes etc - you don't want equipment failure to contribute to a crash.