0:00:02 > 0:00:04Last year, the number of people
0:00:04 > 0:00:08killed on Britain's roads went up for the first time in years.
0:00:08 > 0:00:121,900 people died on them.
0:00:12 > 0:00:16That's the equivalent of four London-to-Glasgow commuter trains
0:00:16 > 0:00:18with every seat full.
0:00:18 > 0:00:21And a further 23,000 were seriously injured.
0:00:21 > 0:00:23That's enough seriously injured people
0:00:23 > 0:00:26to fill the Albert Hall four times.
0:00:26 > 0:00:29The total injured is far higher,
0:00:29 > 0:00:32more than the population of Luton.
0:00:32 > 0:00:34Is this number of casualties acceptable?
0:00:34 > 0:00:36And what can be done to reduce it?
0:00:38 > 0:00:42We've talked to the experts, the drivers and the survivors.
0:00:42 > 0:00:43My boyfriend died on impact
0:00:43 > 0:00:46cos his side of the car took the brunt of the head-on collision.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51- And they all agree that by far... - ..the major contributory factor..
0:00:51 > 0:00:53..in collisions on Britain's roads...
0:00:53 > 0:00:56BOTH: ..is us, the British driver.
0:00:56 > 0:01:00Almost all accidents involve human error, so what are we doing wrong?
0:01:00 > 0:01:03He's watching documentaries on his laptop.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07With access to a unique archive of crashes and near-misses,
0:01:07 > 0:01:09we'll be seeing what can happen
0:01:09 > 0:01:13when our obsession with our smartphones takes over.
0:01:13 > 0:01:15And asking if our 24-hour culture
0:01:15 > 0:01:18is inviting us to fall asleep at the wheel.
0:01:18 > 0:01:23We'll discover which is the greatest threat - tiredness or drunkenness.
0:01:25 > 0:01:26Whoa.
0:01:26 > 0:01:30And setting up our own experiment to find out who is more dangerous.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32Adolescents?
0:01:34 > 0:01:36Or octogenarians?
0:01:36 > 0:01:39And we'll be asking what we can we do about it.
0:01:39 > 0:01:44If you took our cars away, our whole lives would change.
0:01:44 > 0:01:48So if we are the problem, is technology the answer?
0:01:48 > 0:01:50If we would remove the human,
0:01:50 > 0:01:53there's a huge potential of making traffic safer.
0:01:53 > 0:01:54Look at that!
0:01:56 > 0:02:00And we'll be answering the most hotly debated question of them all.
0:02:00 > 0:02:01Who are the best drivers?
0:02:01 > 0:02:03Men?
0:02:03 > 0:02:04Or women?
0:02:04 > 0:02:07There are some females who could do with some better road skills.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24Last week, we looked at roads and cars.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27But with more than nine out of ten accidents involving human error,
0:02:27 > 0:02:30tonight we'll be finding out the truth about us,
0:02:30 > 0:02:34- the drivers.- Why do we keep making catastrophic errors?
0:02:34 > 0:02:38We'll be finding out who are the most dangerous drivers on our roads.
0:02:38 > 0:02:44And discovering the incredible risks virtually all of us routinely take.
0:02:44 > 0:02:46But we're going to start with
0:02:46 > 0:02:49one of the things that distracts us the most. Our phones.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52We've all seen people using their phone while they drive,
0:02:52 > 0:02:55even though it's illegal.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58So how dangerous IS using your phone at the wheel?
0:02:58 > 0:03:02I'm going to find out what the experts have to say.
0:03:02 > 0:03:03And I'm going spying.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17It's a big old beast of a vehicle, isn't it?
0:03:17 > 0:03:20It is. It's a right machine, it's a different world up in there.
0:03:20 > 0:03:21Let's have a look.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24- Where do you want me to sit?- If you could sit in the middle for us.
0:03:27 > 0:03:31PC Mick Eustis of the South Yorkshire Police has invited me
0:03:31 > 0:03:34to take part in Operation Ophelia.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37The idea is simple.
0:03:37 > 0:03:41By travelling in an unmarked truck, not only are we undercover,
0:03:41 > 0:03:45but we are also high enough to look down into cars
0:03:45 > 0:03:48and straight into HGVs.
0:03:49 > 0:03:51So we're going to spy on drivers
0:03:51 > 0:03:54to see if they're doing anything in the privacy of their cars
0:03:54 > 0:03:58which might contribute to a crash.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01Of course, being a police operation,
0:04:01 > 0:04:04there will be consequences for the drivers.
0:04:06 > 0:04:11So in this car here, if we see any offences taking place on the road,
0:04:11 > 0:04:16we've got this vehicle and actually another one ready to go.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19We're just entering M18 northbound, we'll go hunting.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22And the hunting is good.
0:04:22 > 0:04:26There's no shortage of people using mobile phones.
0:04:26 > 0:04:28We follow one driver for some time.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31She's so wrapped up in her conversation, she hasn't noticed
0:04:31 > 0:04:37the man filming her from the lorry or the two police cars behind her.
0:04:37 > 0:04:41Still on the phone. Can quite clearly see.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44She's now looking in her rear-view mirror at us.
0:04:44 > 0:04:46She's having quite a joyous time, smiling.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49She is, she's having a good conversation, isn't she?
0:04:49 > 0:04:52She's the one to our left - can you get in behind her?
0:04:52 > 0:04:54Yankee Romeo One Two Uniform Oscar Echo.
0:04:54 > 0:04:55Her phone call ended
0:04:55 > 0:05:00with the likelihood of a £60 fine and three points.
0:05:03 > 0:05:07So how many accidents do mobile phones really cause?
0:05:11 > 0:05:15I'm visiting the Transport Research Laboratory in Berkshire
0:05:15 > 0:05:18for some facts and figures about mobile use and accidents.
0:05:22 > 0:05:27So this is the ultimate research lab for drivers, basically.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30You can find out how we behave,
0:05:30 > 0:05:34why we behave in particular scenarios and situations.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37That's right. We can set up scenarios in a safe way
0:05:37 > 0:05:40where we can understand how different types of distraction
0:05:40 > 0:05:43and impairment affect our ability to drive or ride safely.
0:05:43 > 0:05:48'TRL have used their driving simulator to compare the effects
0:05:48 > 0:05:52'of mobile phones and alcohol on our driving, with shocking results.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55'Their work shows using a mobile phone
0:05:55 > 0:05:59'whilst driving can slow your reaction time by up to 50%.'
0:06:01 > 0:06:03Your brain is dealing with the complex task of driving.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06You're having to maintain the speed of the vehicle,
0:06:06 > 0:06:08the position of the vehicle.
0:06:08 > 0:06:09To speak on a mobile phone as well
0:06:09 > 0:06:11makes you much worse at all those things.
0:06:11 > 0:06:15I'm seeing for myself just how dangerous it can be.
0:06:15 > 0:06:19Back in South Yorkshire, we're following a car driving erratically.
0:06:19 > 0:06:21He's still all over the road.
0:06:21 > 0:06:23Yeah, he's looking, he is definitely doing something.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26He's got the phone in his left hand.
0:06:26 > 0:06:28Yeah, he's texting. Look at that.
0:06:28 > 0:06:32'People do the same journey from work to home'
0:06:32 > 0:06:35day in, day out, and think they're perfectly safe
0:06:35 > 0:06:38being on the phone or texting, because they know the road.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40A driver on a familiar journey,
0:06:40 > 0:06:42having a conversation on a mobile phone,
0:06:42 > 0:06:44might miss that one-off occasion
0:06:44 > 0:06:46when someone has to brake suddenly in front of them.
0:06:46 > 0:06:50We'll pull in behind you, but do you want to come past and stop him?
0:06:50 > 0:06:54He's been texting doing 70 miles an hour on the motorway.
0:06:54 > 0:06:56We've done studies that have shown when you're driving
0:06:56 > 0:07:00and using a mobile phone, whether it's handheld or hands-free,
0:07:00 > 0:07:02that impairment is worse than being at the legal limit of alcohol.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05When someone's involved in a collision and they've been on their
0:07:05 > 0:07:08mobile phone, invariably there's fatality or serious injury involved.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11Mick believes phones are so dangerous,
0:07:11 > 0:07:14the penalties for using them at the wheel should be increased.
0:07:14 > 0:07:18The fine at the moment is a £60 fine and three points.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21Personally I think it should be the same as what it is
0:07:21 > 0:07:24if you're driving without insurance, which is £200 and six points.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27'The government is currently considering
0:07:27 > 0:07:31'raising the penalty to £90 and three penalty points.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34'But if phones are bad, wait till you see
0:07:34 > 0:07:37'what other dangerous habits some drivers have.
0:07:37 > 0:07:41'From our vantage point, we can look straight into the cabs
0:07:41 > 0:07:43'of the biggest lorries.'
0:07:43 > 0:07:47- He's got a laptop, he's got a laptop open.- Yeah.
0:07:50 > 0:07:54We can't see whether the laptop's on, but that's a classic.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57He's got the laptop open, as you can see it's facing towards him.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02Can't quite see whether there's anything on it at the moment.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05- That very much looks like it's set up for...- Absolutely.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09He's got his entertainment going there, it's plugged in.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15'One in eight deaths on the road last year were due to crashes
0:08:15 > 0:08:17'involving lorries.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20'As were over 1,000 serious injuries.
0:08:20 > 0:08:21'Foreign-registered lorries
0:08:21 > 0:08:24'with the wheel on the wrong side of the vehicle
0:08:24 > 0:08:27'are involved in twice as many serious accidents
0:08:27 > 0:08:28'as British lorries.'
0:08:29 > 0:08:32Right, so this guy, we drove past him,
0:08:32 > 0:08:34he had the laptop open on the dashboard,
0:08:34 > 0:08:36appeared to be watching a movie,
0:08:36 > 0:08:39caught sight of us and closed the laptop.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41So what I'm quite intrigued to find out
0:08:41 > 0:08:44is what he was actually doing with it. So let's see if we can, er...
0:08:44 > 0:08:47Cos what's really staggering is the kind of things that people do
0:08:47 > 0:08:50when they're driving - phones, feet up on the dashboard,
0:08:50 > 0:08:52saw a woman doing her makeup earlier.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55It is extraordinary what people think they can get away with.
0:08:55 > 0:08:57Let's see if he speaks English.
0:08:57 > 0:08:59He's been watching National Geographic.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01He's been watching National...?
0:09:01 > 0:09:04A film on National Geographic. On his laptop.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07What was the movie, National Geographic?
0:09:07 > 0:09:08Or a documentary?
0:09:08 > 0:09:11'This Hungarian driver will be charged
0:09:11 > 0:09:13'with driving without due care and attention.
0:09:13 > 0:09:17'And he'll have to pay a £300 roadside deposit
0:09:17 > 0:09:20'in case he doesn't turn up for the hearing.'
0:09:20 > 0:09:22Gang war.
0:09:24 > 0:09:25Gang war...
0:09:26 > 0:09:30He's driving at 60 miles an hour with 25 tons on the back
0:09:30 > 0:09:34of his truck and he says, "Well, you know, it gets a bit boring
0:09:34 > 0:09:37"after a few hours." And I'm sure it does, but imagine the consequences
0:09:37 > 0:09:41if he had an accident in that, going at that speed?
0:09:41 > 0:09:43I mean, it would be an absolute disaster.
0:09:46 > 0:09:50At the Transport Research Laboratory, they don't have to
0:09:50 > 0:09:53just imagine the consequences of a serious accident.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57Here's a classic crash scenario.
0:09:57 > 0:10:02Traffic has come to a halt, maybe on a motorway slip road.
0:10:02 > 0:10:06A lorry carrying a third of the payload of the one that we stopped
0:10:06 > 0:10:09is doing 50 miles an hour and wanders out of lane,
0:10:09 > 0:10:12perhaps because the driver is watching
0:10:12 > 0:10:14a particularly engrossing movie.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17The lorry collides with the line of cars.
0:10:35 > 0:10:37With such catastrophic consequences,
0:10:37 > 0:10:41what can be done to make the drivers of these vehicles safer?
0:10:43 > 0:10:46'One answer could be this little device.
0:10:46 > 0:10:49'It's becoming increasingly popular with commercial fleets
0:10:49 > 0:10:53'around the world, and we have been road-testing it.'
0:10:53 > 0:10:56'DriveCam films all our mistakes.
0:10:56 > 0:11:00'If we brake, accelerate or corner too fast, it sends video
0:11:00 > 0:11:02'over the mobile phone network back to HQ.'
0:11:04 > 0:11:07Installed in 400,000 vehicles worldwide,
0:11:07 > 0:11:10DriveCam is creating an extraordinary archive
0:11:10 > 0:11:12of crashes and near-misses,
0:11:12 > 0:11:16helping us understand what really happens when things go wrong.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19SHE SCREAMS
0:11:19 > 0:11:20Oh, my God!
0:11:21 > 0:11:23Could you please let me out?
0:11:23 > 0:11:24Please let me out.
0:11:26 > 0:11:28What types of things are you capturing people doing?
0:11:28 > 0:11:30What are the habits that people have?
0:11:30 > 0:11:32You know, it's really all over the map.
0:11:32 > 0:11:33You can see the sequence,
0:11:33 > 0:11:35but you can also see the pattern.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38Some people habitually will roll a stop sign.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41They'll pull up and they think, "Oh, I stopped,"
0:11:41 > 0:11:44and then you'll see, over the course of a week or a month,
0:11:44 > 0:11:46ten times they thought they were stopping.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49And meanwhile, you watch when they thought they stopped,
0:11:49 > 0:11:51a lorry runs right through the intersection
0:11:51 > 0:11:52and they almost get sideswiped.
0:11:52 > 0:11:56For the first time, we're able to see the near-misses.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59There are reckoned to be ten of them for every collision.
0:11:59 > 0:12:03I want to see what DriveCam have caught of people on their phones.
0:12:05 > 0:12:07He's texting away.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13I'm looking at him but I'm going to...ooh! Ooh!
0:12:13 > 0:12:15Brake! Oh, oh...
0:12:15 > 0:12:18Yeah, so in our world,
0:12:18 > 0:12:20when we analyse that video, we see two things.
0:12:20 > 0:12:22We see certainly he was texting,
0:12:22 > 0:12:24but it wasn't just the fact that he was texting.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27- Did you see what his eyes and his head were doing?- Yeah.
0:12:27 > 0:12:29We'll stop right there.
0:12:29 > 0:12:30So head and eyes down.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33- He's in a neighbourhood. Kids playing.- I know.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35And he's really close
0:12:35 > 0:12:37- to that car in front of him. - Absolutely.
0:12:37 > 0:12:38People do that all the time.
0:12:38 > 0:12:40They think they know what they're doing.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42"Oh, yeah, got my eye on the car in front,
0:12:42 > 0:12:44- "It's fine, I'll just send this text."- Absolutely.
0:12:44 > 0:12:46That could have been worse than it was.
0:12:46 > 0:12:50But sometimes that moment's distraction can be disastrous.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58These videos are released by those involved
0:12:58 > 0:12:59when no-one was seriously injured.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02They can be an eye-opener on the causes of accidents.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08But right now, this technology is in very few vehicles here.
0:13:08 > 0:13:10All the information about an accident
0:13:10 > 0:13:14is gathered after the event by hand.
0:13:14 > 0:13:16At the scene of all collisions,
0:13:16 > 0:13:20the British police fill in a form called Stats 19.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23They look for contributory factors to the accident
0:13:23 > 0:13:26and can tick up to six boxes.
0:13:26 > 0:13:28The options include things like
0:13:28 > 0:13:30poor road surface or mobile phone use.
0:13:30 > 0:13:35These forms become the basis for the accident statistics
0:13:35 > 0:13:40and by far the most common factor is, "Failed to look properly."
0:13:40 > 0:13:45It contributes to nearly half of all accidents.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48But accidents rarely have a single cause.
0:13:48 > 0:13:52Almost always, a number of factors come together.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56Like in this situation.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59Distracted by the stereo... STEREO BLASTS
0:13:59 > 0:14:02..together with another driver not paying attention...
0:14:04 > 0:14:06..and no seat belt.
0:14:06 > 0:14:10So being distracted when you're in a demanding situation
0:14:10 > 0:14:13will hugely increase your chances of a crash.
0:14:13 > 0:14:18But how about if your driving ability is lowered or impaired?
0:14:18 > 0:14:20That could be because you are ill or disabled,
0:14:20 > 0:14:24because you're tired, or because you've been taking drugs.
0:14:24 > 0:14:26But top of the list of reasons recorded
0:14:26 > 0:14:30for a driver's ability being impaired
0:14:30 > 0:14:32is because they've been drinking.
0:14:32 > 0:14:34Now it's my turn to go out with Mick.
0:14:34 > 0:14:38We're going to see if we can get a first-hand look at an accident
0:14:38 > 0:14:40involving an impaired driver.
0:14:42 > 0:14:44Dispatch, whereabouts did that happen?
0:14:53 > 0:14:54There's been a fail to stop.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57It's a drunk driver, driven off from the police
0:14:57 > 0:14:59and he's crashed his car.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02SIREN BLARES
0:15:07 > 0:15:08It's an incident involving
0:15:08 > 0:15:10this vehicle just up here in front of the police car.
0:15:10 > 0:15:14I believe it's been seen by a police vehicle in Doncaster.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17It's tried to stop the vehicle and it's driven off at speed.
0:15:17 > 0:15:19The vehicle's come down this road opposite,
0:15:19 > 0:15:22the driver's obviously come straight on, as you can see,
0:15:22 > 0:15:25where he's collided with the fence.
0:15:25 > 0:15:27So he's been arrested, taken to the police station
0:15:27 > 0:15:30and at the police station he'll give some more breath samples.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33Later, he'll be prosecuted for several offences,
0:15:33 > 0:15:36including drink-driving and driving without insurance.
0:15:36 > 0:15:39How common is this kind of accident?
0:15:39 > 0:15:43In terms of these minor collisions where people have had a drink,
0:15:43 > 0:15:44quite regular.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47- Had there been anyone coming... - Yeah, that would be really serious.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50..could be a pedal cyclist, it's people going home at this time.
0:15:50 > 0:15:54If he'd hit them, then we'd be looking at a fatality or something.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57Numerous campaigns have helped
0:15:57 > 0:16:03to halve drink-drive casualties in ten years.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06Sir, would you mind stepping out of the car and doing a breath test?
0:16:06 > 0:16:08Look, you had two pints, you're over the limit,
0:16:08 > 0:16:10that's a twelve-month ban and a criminal record.
0:16:10 > 0:16:14But a newer target is something most drivers admit they've done.
0:16:14 > 0:16:16Driving when tired.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20If you fall asleep at the wheel, you'll put your life in danger.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23Many of us have struggled to stay awake.
0:16:23 > 0:16:27I literally felt like I'd closed my eyes for about five seconds,
0:16:27 > 0:16:30but my car swerved. It kind of shook me up.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33I just was falling asleep.
0:16:33 > 0:16:36I had to keep slapping myself in the face to stay awake.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39The wheels kind of went over the cats-eyes a bit
0:16:39 > 0:16:41and kind of jolted me, and that's when I thought,
0:16:41 > 0:16:43"Right, I've got to pull off now."
0:16:43 > 0:16:45I hit the edge of the road, the hard shoulder,
0:16:45 > 0:16:47and I woke up instantly.
0:16:47 > 0:16:48Suddenly, you come to,
0:16:48 > 0:16:52and you're very acutely aware that you are driving a car.
0:16:53 > 0:16:57Transport officials estimate tiredness may be a factor
0:16:57 > 0:17:00in as many much as 20% of all accidents.
0:17:00 > 0:17:04But of course, it isn't illegal to drive when you're a little tired,
0:17:04 > 0:17:08or, for that matter, when you're below the alcohol limit.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11We are going to look at some everyday situations.
0:17:11 > 0:17:15We're going to compare the effects of tiredness and alcohol.
0:17:15 > 0:17:17So, not over the limit, but a bit tipsy.
0:17:17 > 0:17:21Not staying up all night, just a few hours sleep.
0:17:21 > 0:17:23Maybe you've had a couple of drinks after work.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26The sort of thing every new parent might recognise.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29So how dangerous is that, really?
0:17:31 > 0:17:32We're in Nottingham.
0:17:32 > 0:17:34Tomorrow we're heading for the driving simulator
0:17:34 > 0:17:36at the university's Accident Research Centre.
0:17:36 > 0:17:41And while Justin's tucked up in bed, I've been sleep-deprived.
0:17:41 > 0:17:43Check out my PJs!
0:17:43 > 0:17:44See you in three hours.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49I'll tell you something for nothing.
0:17:49 > 0:17:54Three hours is NOT enough sleep!
0:17:54 > 0:17:56SHE GROANS
0:17:58 > 0:18:00Are you feeling tired?
0:18:00 > 0:18:01This is brilliant!
0:18:01 > 0:18:03- I think this might be it. - Is this it?
0:18:03 > 0:18:05That looks really high-tech, doesn't it?
0:18:05 > 0:18:07Like Joe 90 or something!
0:18:07 > 0:18:09- Yeah, it's...- Get in the pod!
0:18:09 > 0:18:12'Dr David Crundall studies risky behaviour amongst drivers.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15'He will be testing us.'
0:18:15 > 0:18:18- Pleased to meet you, David. Anita. - I'm Justin, very good to meet you.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21- I've had three hours' sleep. - Fabulous!
0:18:21 > 0:18:23- You're looking very good on it! - I feel OK, actually.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26She seems very lively. Doesn't seem to have affected you at all.
0:18:26 > 0:18:29Would you drive to work like this quite happily?
0:18:29 > 0:18:32Yeah, if I had to, I would. I'm being honest. I would do.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35After three hours' sleep, feeling like this, I'd get up and drive.
0:18:35 > 0:18:37Maybe we can see if that really is the case.
0:18:37 > 0:18:39- If that's a wise thing to do.- Yeah.
0:18:39 > 0:18:40And I get to have a drink and watch you!
0:18:40 > 0:18:43- That's not so bad, is it?! - Yeah, he's drinking on the job!
0:18:43 > 0:18:45Dearie me! That doesn't sound like work!
0:18:45 > 0:18:47It doesn't sound like work.
0:18:47 > 0:18:49So we get to test the alcohol issue as well.
0:18:49 > 0:18:50- Yeah.- Head to head.
0:18:50 > 0:18:54Inside the dome is a complete car.
0:18:54 > 0:18:56Justin's the first on the road.
0:18:56 > 0:18:58He gets a go totally sober,
0:18:58 > 0:19:02so that we can compare his driving later.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04It looks great. It looks really space-age!
0:19:04 > 0:19:07So facing straight ahead,
0:19:07 > 0:19:10and now follow the white dot on the screen, please.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13The system will monitor our eyes to see where we're looking on the road,
0:19:13 > 0:19:16and judge whether our vision is affected.
0:19:16 > 0:19:18If you're looking in the right place,
0:19:18 > 0:19:20you're processing what you're looking at,
0:19:20 > 0:19:23- then you're less likely to have crashes.- Right.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25# I'm on the road again Na-na-na... #
0:19:25 > 0:19:28Oh, here we go. Yay!
0:19:28 > 0:19:32I'm staying in the hard shoulder for the moment, while I get used to it.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35We want you to really get a feel for the way the car drives,
0:19:35 > 0:19:37the way the car handles.
0:19:37 > 0:19:41You have managed, however, to already exceed the speed limit.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43Oh, really? I'm only going 60, mate!
0:19:43 > 0:19:45- He's quite safe, isn't he? He's doing OK?- Yep.
0:19:45 > 0:19:47What we can take from this at the moment
0:19:47 > 0:19:49is he's actually dealing very, very well
0:19:49 > 0:19:51with the simulated virtual environment here.
0:19:51 > 0:19:55- Right, so if you'd just like to go straight up.- I'm really tired.
0:19:55 > 0:19:57While I get settled into the simulator,
0:19:57 > 0:19:58Justin's prepping for his test.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01There we go. It's quite strong.
0:20:01 > 0:20:03Maybe a little bit.
0:20:03 > 0:20:04Wake up!
0:20:06 > 0:20:08It doesn't feel right, you know.
0:20:08 > 0:20:10Drinking in the laboratory.
0:20:10 > 0:20:12'We're each doing a short drive,
0:20:12 > 0:20:15'the sort of thing some of us might well attempt
0:20:15 > 0:20:17'when feeling this tired.
0:20:17 > 0:20:20'Can I drive normally for just 15 minutes?'
0:20:20 > 0:20:23I'm having to really concentrate hard.
0:20:23 > 0:20:25This is actually quite scary.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28Her speed is round about 60mph.
0:20:28 > 0:20:30Her steering is pretty central.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33So can you tell any impairment now, looking at this?
0:20:33 > 0:20:37There's a marked difference between how you were performing
0:20:37 > 0:20:38when you were keeping lane maintenance,
0:20:38 > 0:20:41compared to how Anita's doing right at the moment.
0:20:41 > 0:20:43Oh, yeah. She's right on the edge of the lane.
0:20:43 > 0:20:45So she is varying actually quite a bit there.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48She's almost touching the hard shoulder there.
0:20:48 > 0:20:50And this is, what? Eight minutes into her drive.
0:20:50 > 0:20:52Yeah, it's not long, is it?
0:20:52 > 0:20:53No, she's all over the place.
0:20:53 > 0:20:55To use the technical term!
0:20:55 > 0:20:58Oh, I hate this! It's horrible!
0:20:58 > 0:21:01So I want to know how I did on just three hours sleep.
0:21:01 > 0:21:05Literally, half an hour beforehand, you were saying,
0:21:05 > 0:21:07"I don't feel any problem. I could drive like this."
0:21:07 > 0:21:10So we're seeing these effects can come on very quickly,
0:21:10 > 0:21:12and also the level of introspection drivers have
0:21:12 > 0:21:15about their susceptibility to these effects...
0:21:15 > 0:21:17How much they understand about their own abilities?
0:21:17 > 0:21:19How likely they are to have these things
0:21:19 > 0:21:21- are often underestimated. - They have no idea.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24We think we're better drivers than we actually are, basically?
0:21:24 > 0:21:27Most people will claim that they are better than average, certainly.
0:21:27 > 0:21:29Now it's my turn.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32Just one more swig, and I am feeling tipsy.
0:21:32 > 0:21:38But I'm still well under the legal limit of 35 on this breathalyser.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41Britain and Malta have the highest limits in Europe.
0:21:41 > 0:21:43Drinking ANY alcohol and driving
0:21:43 > 0:21:46is against the law in some European countries.
0:21:46 > 0:21:50Research suggests even small amounts can affect your ability.
0:21:50 > 0:21:51So how safe am I?
0:21:51 > 0:21:54So he's being very cautious right from the start.
0:21:54 > 0:21:56We're seeing a 20mph drive.
0:21:56 > 0:21:59Doesn't want to get caught.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04I don't feel that drunk, but I do feel...
0:22:05 > 0:22:07..a little bit disorientated.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09There seems to be a lot going on.
0:22:12 > 0:22:16I think he clipped the kerb there and that's sent him
0:22:16 > 0:22:19- wiggling all over the place. - Oh! Whoa!
0:22:19 > 0:22:22Dear me! I was just thinking,
0:22:22 > 0:22:25"I'm controlling this really well," when I hit the kerb there.
0:22:26 > 0:22:29I don't feel completely in control of this.
0:22:29 > 0:22:31There we go. He's admitting it himself.
0:22:31 > 0:22:33Many people who are under the influence think
0:22:33 > 0:22:35that they can actually control it,
0:22:35 > 0:22:37that they can be cautious,
0:22:37 > 0:22:40that they can avoid any particular hazard that's on the roadway.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43There's a car hidden behind this bus that's going to pull out now.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45Oh!
0:22:46 > 0:22:47He braked in time.
0:22:47 > 0:22:49Where are you off to?
0:22:49 > 0:22:52You still showed errors of driving performance
0:22:52 > 0:22:57which could have been problematic if you were on the real road.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00And this is UNDER the legal limit.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03You know, alcohol is a depressant.
0:23:03 > 0:23:07Fatigue is obviously going to reduce attention,
0:23:07 > 0:23:11and sometimes you can see very, very similar effects from the two.
0:23:11 > 0:23:17So in terms of risk, how does tiredness compare with drinking?
0:23:17 > 0:23:22Well, one recent study has shown that a three-hour nocturnal drive
0:23:22 > 0:23:24with somebody who is fatigued
0:23:24 > 0:23:28can be as risky as driving at the legal maximum.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31Breathalysers and blood tests have proven effective
0:23:31 > 0:23:34in the fight to cut drink-driving.
0:23:34 > 0:23:36Tiredness may be harder to tackle.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48Here we have a complex background.
0:23:48 > 0:23:50For more than 30 years, Professor Frank McKenna
0:23:50 > 0:23:52has studied traffic accidents.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55He's one of Britain's leading experts.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58The problem is, sleep is not optional.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01When you deprive people of sleep,
0:24:01 > 0:24:04then the one thing that is guaranteed to happen
0:24:04 > 0:24:08is they will sleep. And the problem is,
0:24:08 > 0:24:12are they at the wheel of a car while doing that sleep?
0:24:12 > 0:24:18so we need to move away from this 24/7 notion
0:24:18 > 0:24:22that we can treat sleep as optional. It's a biological phenomena
0:24:22 > 0:24:24that's basic and it's necessary.
0:24:30 > 0:24:35So many trucks parked up down there. It's enormous.
0:24:35 > 0:24:37I'm meeting HGV driver Colin Wrighton, who knows first-hand
0:24:37 > 0:24:42the possible consequences of fatigue and driving.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45- REPORTER:- An horrific pile up on the M62 near Liverpool.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48The driver of the lorry had fallen asleep at the wheel.
0:24:48 > 0:24:52He collided with a line of stationary traffic. At the front,
0:24:52 > 0:24:55a Nissan Micra was crushed under a pick-up truck.
0:24:55 > 0:24:57Six years ago, with Colin asleep,
0:24:57 > 0:25:00his truck wandered onto the hard shoulder
0:25:00 > 0:25:02and then ploughed into a queue of stationary traffic,
0:25:02 > 0:25:06killing one of the car drivers, 25-year-old Toby Tweddell.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12The first car had flipped, and where was Toby's car? Was that...?
0:25:12 > 0:25:14I'm not sure where he was in the queue but he must have been
0:25:14 > 0:25:19a bit further down, so I'm not sure what his car was.
0:25:19 > 0:25:21And he was the only person to have died?
0:25:21 > 0:25:26Yeah. I've had a lot of, er... a lot of, er, counselling over that
0:25:26 > 0:25:28because it, you know, it's a hard thing to happen
0:25:28 > 0:25:34because it's unfortunate that he passed away, so I...
0:25:34 > 0:25:37I still think about it every day, and the family.
0:25:38 > 0:25:41Colin wants to meet Toby's parents.
0:25:41 > 0:25:44So far, they can't bear to face the man who killed their son.
0:25:44 > 0:25:48But they do believe he's remorseful.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52His accident wasn't a straightforward case of fatigue.
0:25:52 > 0:25:57It's estimated that as many as 4% of men and 2% of women
0:25:57 > 0:26:01suffer from a condition called sleep apnoea, largely undiagnosed.
0:26:01 > 0:26:03It affects breathing at night,
0:26:03 > 0:26:07and the sufferer won't be aware that they haven't slept properly,
0:26:07 > 0:26:10meaning they can easily fall asleep during the day.
0:26:10 > 0:26:14The only way I can explain it is if you've ever been on the motorway
0:26:14 > 0:26:18and you've gone past something and you've thought to yourself,
0:26:18 > 0:26:21"How did I get there?" You know?
0:26:21 > 0:26:25That's what the sleep apnoea was like. I didn't know...
0:26:25 > 0:26:27One minute you were there and the next minute...
0:26:27 > 0:26:29But you don't feel tired, that's the thing about it.
0:26:31 > 0:26:33Colin was never prosecuted for dangerous driving
0:26:33 > 0:26:36because he'd already made three visits to his GP
0:26:36 > 0:26:40complaining of chronic fatigue.
0:26:40 > 0:26:42It's somebody's life that's gone
0:26:42 > 0:26:45that didn't need to have gone, you know,
0:26:45 > 0:26:48and I'm more annoyed at the doctors not picking up on it and saying
0:26:48 > 0:26:50"we'll send you to a clinic, a sleep clinic,
0:26:50 > 0:26:53"to somebody who knows about the sleep disorders."
0:26:53 > 0:26:57And that's why a lot of doctors need to be aware of it now.
0:26:57 > 0:27:00One estimate puts the number of HGV drivers
0:27:00 > 0:27:06with a degree of sleep apnoea on our roads at nearly 140,000.
0:27:06 > 0:27:08Colin is still driving trucks
0:27:08 > 0:27:11because he's now considered safe as he is undergoing treatment.
0:27:11 > 0:27:14He spends much of his time campaigning to raise awareness
0:27:14 > 0:27:16amongst other drivers.
0:27:18 > 0:27:22Sleep apnoea is a silent killer and people need to know more about it.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27We've been looking at some of the key factors
0:27:27 > 0:27:30which can make us more prone to crash.
0:27:30 > 0:27:35But apart from these, statistics on collisions are broken down by sex
0:27:35 > 0:27:38and age and looking this way can give us insight
0:27:38 > 0:27:42into the risks presented by different groups of drivers.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44So, let's start with that eternal question -
0:27:44 > 0:27:48who are the better drivers, men or women?
0:27:48 > 0:27:51Absolutely no contest whatsoever,
0:27:51 > 0:27:53males are complete twats as drivers.
0:27:53 > 0:27:57Females, I think they're the worst drivers in the world.
0:27:57 > 0:28:01Watch out, I've got the handbag ready.
0:28:01 > 0:28:03Females are better than me, to be honest,
0:28:03 > 0:28:05especially at reversing. I crash into everything.
0:28:05 > 0:28:09Men are more efficient when it comes to getting in tight spots
0:28:09 > 0:28:11and getting out.
0:28:11 > 0:28:12Yeah, you know the woman driver,
0:28:12 > 0:28:15they are the more safer driver than the man driver.
0:28:15 > 0:28:20I mean, my wife's just taken her 53rd lesson and on her third test.
0:28:22 > 0:28:23Confused!
0:28:23 > 0:28:27Since the early days of motoring
0:28:27 > 0:28:30there have been strong stereotypes of male and female drivers.
0:28:30 > 0:28:32I'm getting out. You can leave me here.
0:28:32 > 0:28:34You're mad! We could be killed.
0:28:34 > 0:28:37Could there be some truth behind the stereotype?
0:28:37 > 0:28:39SCREECHING TYRES
0:28:39 > 0:28:43This piece of research has really got me thinking. It looks into -
0:28:43 > 0:28:44now this is a big one -
0:28:44 > 0:28:47the differences between male and female drivers.
0:28:47 > 0:28:51Not only do we drive differently, but according to this,
0:28:51 > 0:28:55we also crash differently. Men have more accidents on bends,
0:28:55 > 0:28:58but women have more right-turning accidents.
0:28:58 > 0:29:00Men have more overtaking accidents
0:29:00 > 0:29:03but women have more left-turning accidents.
0:29:03 > 0:29:06So does that make the men worse or the women worse?
0:29:06 > 0:29:08And why is there even a difference?
0:29:10 > 0:29:11First up, women.
0:29:13 > 0:29:17In Nottingham, Dr Crundall and his team of psychologists
0:29:17 > 0:29:21are trying to get to the bottom of why women crash more at junctions.
0:29:22 > 0:29:26We know that there are some things that men and women differ on.
0:29:26 > 0:29:29Better or worse is perhaps the wrong term. We should say that there are
0:29:29 > 0:29:32qualitative differences in people's abilities to do certain tasks
0:29:32 > 0:29:35and that's just a function of the way the brain is made up
0:29:35 > 0:29:38- in the different genders.- You think we'll find real differences
0:29:38 > 0:29:39between men and women?
0:29:39 > 0:29:42Well, we know that some of the spatial tests we're using today
0:29:42 > 0:29:45have found gender differences in the past. The question is
0:29:45 > 0:29:48whether we can relate that back to driving differences.
0:29:48 > 0:29:50- It'll be really interesting. - That's going to be great.
0:29:50 > 0:29:53- Let's look round.- Sure. - I'm quite intrigued by this.
0:29:53 > 0:29:56The first test was to find out how long they've been driving,
0:29:56 > 0:30:02how often they drive and how much of a liability they are
0:30:02 > 0:30:03to the rest of us.
0:30:03 > 0:30:06To further examine their driving ability
0:30:06 > 0:30:08our volunteers will take part
0:30:08 > 0:30:10in a hazard prediction test.
0:30:10 > 0:30:13- Oh, spot the hazard?- It goes black before the hazard occurs.
0:30:13 > 0:30:16So she's got to try and predict what's going to happen,
0:30:16 > 0:30:17as if you're driving.
0:30:20 > 0:30:22Yeah.
0:30:23 > 0:30:26So there you go, there was a hazard hidden in that video.
0:30:26 > 0:30:32Have another go. Did you see the women being pushed?
0:30:32 > 0:30:34Their driving skills assessed,
0:30:34 > 0:30:38the team now hope to link those to their spatial ability.
0:30:38 > 0:30:40That's the ability to judge what's going on around you,
0:30:40 > 0:30:44how fast, and where.
0:30:44 > 0:30:47Very important at junctions.
0:30:47 > 0:30:49If you're good at this task then you have more resources,
0:30:49 > 0:30:53if you like, to spend doing other stuff. If you're not so good
0:30:53 > 0:30:56at rotating space, thinking about space, then you might have too much
0:30:56 > 0:30:58going on at the same time and that could be why
0:30:58 > 0:31:01you're more liable to make mistakes or have accidents
0:31:01 > 0:31:03or do these kind of things.
0:31:03 > 0:31:06These tests of spatial ability are already well established,
0:31:06 > 0:31:08and men tend to do better at them.
0:31:08 > 0:31:11I'd like you to place the arrow somewhere on the circle
0:31:11 > 0:31:13in the direction where you think this landmark is.
0:31:13 > 0:31:17So if the link to driving ability can be made, we may get closer
0:31:17 > 0:31:21to understanding who is the better driver.
0:31:21 > 0:31:24- That's the Playhouse there... - Ah, yes.
0:31:24 > 0:31:26Probably slightly more that way.
0:31:26 > 0:31:29- What are you doing with this? - Checking my compass.
0:31:29 > 0:31:31You're not allowed to do that!
0:31:31 > 0:31:33- He's got his compass out! - It seemed like a good idea.
0:31:33 > 0:31:36It is, but it's about kind of showing your skills accurately.
0:31:36 > 0:31:39By the end of the day, the team have tested over 35 people.
0:31:40 > 0:31:44So what have we found out about women drivers
0:31:44 > 0:31:46and collisions at junctions?
0:31:46 > 0:31:48Well, we started off with the idea
0:31:48 > 0:31:51that spatial ability should be linked
0:31:51 > 0:31:56to driving ability and that might explain why women have certain types
0:31:56 > 0:31:58of accidents compared to men. It's just a one-day study.
0:31:58 > 0:32:03There is some evidence there to link spatial ability with driving,
0:32:03 > 0:32:04so we want to pursue that
0:32:04 > 0:32:08and see if we can get those gender differences
0:32:08 > 0:32:10further down the line with a larger sample.
0:32:10 > 0:32:14So there are differences in the way men and women see the world
0:32:14 > 0:32:18which can affect the way we drive and therefore the way we crash.
0:32:18 > 0:32:22Men seem to be ahead at the moment, but what about their accidents?
0:32:22 > 0:32:25Why do they run off the road more and have more head-on collisions?
0:32:25 > 0:32:28Professor McKenna has studied this for years.
0:32:30 > 0:32:31Males choose to drive faster,
0:32:31 > 0:32:35they choose to drive closer to the vehicle in front,
0:32:35 > 0:32:39they're more involved in driving violations and they're prepared
0:32:39 > 0:32:42to drive for longer periods without a break.
0:32:42 > 0:32:45It sounds like men take the bigger risks.
0:32:45 > 0:32:48But we still don't have the answer to the fundamental question.
0:32:48 > 0:32:51Which of us, statistically...
0:32:51 > 0:32:54- Men or women... - ..are the better drivers?
0:32:54 > 0:32:59On the simple criterion of being able to stay alive on the roads,
0:32:59 > 0:33:03then we'd have to say that women are better drivers than men.
0:33:03 > 0:33:11Women are below men, consistently, across all ages except 35 to 54
0:33:11 > 0:33:13when the two groups meet.
0:33:13 > 0:33:16But basically women have fewer fatal accidents than men.
0:33:16 > 0:33:18And it's not just fatalities.
0:33:18 > 0:33:23Overall, men have 62% of accidents. Even allowing for the extra miles
0:33:23 > 0:33:27they drive, they are having seven accidents to every five women have.
0:33:29 > 0:33:35So we are saying that women are better drivers than men.
0:33:35 > 0:33:37But where are the differences we have observed coming from?
0:33:37 > 0:33:41I've come to the Neuroscience Institute
0:33:41 > 0:33:45at University College London, where they study men and women's brains
0:33:45 > 0:33:48in relation to risky activity.
0:33:48 > 0:33:50The interesting thing, looking at the raw data,
0:33:50 > 0:33:53is it's completely contrary to most people's expectations
0:33:53 > 0:33:56and women seem to be significantly better drivers than men
0:33:56 > 0:34:00- on almost every measure.- I think that's more, as much as anything,
0:34:00 > 0:34:03an indication that stereotypes are not always right and actually
0:34:03 > 0:34:08you can't interpret everything based on a stereotype. You've got to start
0:34:08 > 0:34:11finding evidence in order to be able to really show
0:34:11 > 0:34:13- whether that's right or wrong. - So why might it be
0:34:13 > 0:34:16that women are better at driving than men?
0:34:16 > 0:34:20Beyond the actual size differences in the brain,
0:34:20 > 0:34:23men have slightly bigger brains but men tend to be slightly bigger...
0:34:23 > 0:34:26beyond that there aren't any clear, defined differences
0:34:26 > 0:34:29between the actual structure of a man's brain and a woman's brain,
0:34:29 > 0:34:34and yet there are differences in the way that they behave, so that might
0:34:34 > 0:34:36be some of the more subtle differences in the brain
0:34:36 > 0:34:39that we aren't completely sure about yet, but it's much more likely to be
0:34:39 > 0:34:43an interaction of the brain, the behaviour and culture we live in.
0:34:43 > 0:34:48So from very early on, intentionally or otherwise,
0:34:48 > 0:34:50we tend to treat young boys and young girls quite differently
0:34:50 > 0:34:55and the way you behave and the external input to the brain
0:34:55 > 0:34:56hugely impact on how the brain develops.
0:34:56 > 0:34:59So you say we need to get out and get some evidence.
0:34:59 > 0:35:00I say you trust women drivers more.
0:35:04 > 0:35:07And the difference between male and female drivers
0:35:07 > 0:35:11is biggest among the under 25s. I was shocked to learn
0:35:11 > 0:35:14that the leading cause of death for men of that age
0:35:14 > 0:35:16is traffic accidents.
0:35:16 > 0:35:17- NEWSCASTER:- An 18-year-old driver,
0:35:17 > 0:35:19in whose car four teenage girls were killed
0:35:19 > 0:35:21when he crashed on a mountain road....
0:35:21 > 0:35:24- REPORTER:- 'Police have named five of the six young people killed
0:35:24 > 0:35:26'in a road accident in Leicestershire yesterday.'
0:35:26 > 0:35:27- NEWSCASTER:- 'Two men died
0:35:27 > 0:35:29'after a car crashed into trees in Shropshire...'
0:35:29 > 0:35:34Paralympic gold medallist Josie Pearson was one of five young people
0:35:34 > 0:35:35travelling to Newport.
0:35:35 > 0:35:42My boyfriend was what they call a boy racer, he liked speed...
0:35:43 > 0:35:48He took risks probably when he shouldn't have done.
0:35:48 > 0:35:52Josie's boyfriend was trying to overtake a car on an A road.
0:35:52 > 0:35:56We used to tell him "Why do you do it? Don't drive so fast,"
0:35:56 > 0:35:59but he obviously got a kick out of it, a thrill out of it.
0:35:59 > 0:36:03They ended up in a head-on collision on a blind bend.
0:36:04 > 0:36:07My boyfriend died on impact. The guy that was sat in front of me
0:36:07 > 0:36:11was wearing his seatbelt. Unfortunately, I wasn't.
0:36:11 > 0:36:15So my best friend, she had a lot of internal damage
0:36:15 > 0:36:21and then the chap that was sat behind the driver, my boyfriend,
0:36:21 > 0:36:23he was fine.
0:36:23 > 0:36:27He got himself out of the car, apparently, and they found him
0:36:27 > 0:36:30- in shock on the side of the road. - How old was your boyfriend?
0:36:30 > 0:36:33My boyfriend was 19.
0:36:33 > 0:36:36I was 17, my best friend was 17.
0:36:36 > 0:36:38I think when you're that age, you feel invincible,
0:36:38 > 0:36:42and you feel that, "Oh, that's not going to happen to me."
0:36:42 > 0:36:45I don't know whether he didn't care or if it was more like a...
0:36:45 > 0:36:48Obviously he must've got an adrenaline rush out of it.
0:36:48 > 0:36:51I can't believe how irresponsible he was.
0:36:53 > 0:36:55I want to find out more about boy racers
0:36:55 > 0:36:58and why they take such big risks on the road.
0:36:58 > 0:37:01I'm meeting up with Professor Geoff Beattie, who has written
0:37:01 > 0:37:04about car culture for the insurance industry.
0:37:04 > 0:37:06- Pleased to meet you. - Hi, it's nice to see you.
0:37:06 > 0:37:09- Good to see you, how are you? - Very well, thank you.
0:37:09 > 0:37:11So what is it about cars
0:37:11 > 0:37:15and putting your foot down on the accelerator and this group of men?
0:37:15 > 0:37:20Well, I mean, it's celebrating what young men have evolved to do,
0:37:20 > 0:37:25which is stand out from the crowd by being faster, stronger, more daring.
0:37:25 > 0:37:28Here they're doing it in a particularly cultural way.
0:37:28 > 0:37:30They're doing it through cars.
0:37:39 > 0:37:42We've come to Ultimate Street Car event at the Santa Pod raceway,
0:37:42 > 0:37:47where anyone can bring their own car and test it out on the track.
0:37:47 > 0:37:49The beauty of cars is that
0:37:49 > 0:37:52you don't have to be the best hunter of the pack
0:37:52 > 0:37:55to drive a car really well. A lot depends upon the car,
0:37:55 > 0:37:58so it gives everyone the chance to rise in the tribe
0:37:58 > 0:38:02by getting into one of those cars and just racing along that track.
0:38:02 > 0:38:05And of course if you look at the age of the people here,
0:38:05 > 0:38:07they're all under 25. Very few women here.
0:38:07 > 0:38:11- Any women who are here are here... - With their boyfriends.- Yes.
0:38:11 > 0:38:13Is this your car?
0:38:13 > 0:38:15- Whose car is it?- Mine. - What are we looking at?
0:38:15 > 0:38:20- Redtop, 2.1 Redtop. 16-year-old. - Did you build this yourself?
0:38:20 > 0:38:21Yeah, apart from the paint.
0:38:21 > 0:38:23How much did you spend on it?
0:38:23 > 0:38:25Well, it's insured for about ten grand.
0:38:25 > 0:38:27And how old are you?
0:38:27 > 0:38:32- 24.- 24. And you're insured for £10,000? That's so much money.
0:38:32 > 0:38:35- Fully comp as well.- Why are you spending so much money on a car?
0:38:35 > 0:38:37- Cos I enjoy going out in it, that's why.- Do you?
0:38:37 > 0:38:39- Yeah.- What's the enjoyment, what's the pleasure?
0:38:39 > 0:38:41Driving fast. Shouldn't say that, should you?
0:38:41 > 0:38:44- How fast have you driven? - Er, about 140 in this.
0:38:44 > 0:38:46On the roads?
0:38:46 > 0:38:49Might have done. I'm on camera, I'm not going to say that, am I?
0:38:49 > 0:38:52- But do you think that's wise? Do you think that's safe?- Of course not.
0:38:52 > 0:38:56- So why do you are you doing it? - Cos I get a buzz out of it.
0:38:56 > 0:38:59- That's the main reason.- Yeah?- Were you on your own or with someone?
0:38:59 > 0:39:02Groups of friends. Yeah, we go out in cars, have a laugh.
0:39:02 > 0:39:05It's the culture, isn't it? A group of friends, that's what we do.
0:39:05 > 0:39:08Do up cars, come here, race them for the weekend
0:39:08 > 0:39:10but here it's better cos it's all legal, isn't it?
0:39:10 > 0:39:13- What do cars mean to you?- Pardon? - What do cars mean to you?
0:39:13 > 0:39:17Everything, it's my job. I'm a mechanic. Everything, my life.
0:39:17 > 0:39:20- Do you race? - We don't race so much, we used to.
0:39:20 > 0:39:22There's a couple of places round where I live,
0:39:22 > 0:39:24but it's all been shut down now.
0:39:24 > 0:39:26It does get out of hand, don't get me wrong.
0:39:26 > 0:39:29- Why, what's happened?- A couple of crashes and stuff.- Serious?
0:39:29 > 0:39:32- Yeah, yeah. - Have you lost friends?
0:39:32 > 0:39:35No, no, not personally. But I know people who have lost friends.
0:39:37 > 0:39:40So what do the neuroscientists have to say about boy racers
0:39:40 > 0:39:42and their risk-taking?
0:39:42 > 0:39:47In the last 15 years, MRI scans have enabled researchers to find out
0:39:47 > 0:39:52that the human brain keeps developing until at least 25.
0:39:52 > 0:39:55They believe that the period known as adolescence can go on
0:39:55 > 0:40:00well into our twenties, and our brains change profoundly
0:40:00 > 0:40:02over this period.
0:40:02 > 0:40:06This part in the middle of the brain is very much involved in emotion
0:40:06 > 0:40:09and there's an area right down here which is called
0:40:09 > 0:40:11the ventral striatum, and this is the part of the brain
0:40:11 > 0:40:13that is about processing reward,
0:40:13 > 0:40:15it's the bit which makes you get that kick
0:40:15 > 0:40:18when you get that adrenaline rush, when you have that feeling
0:40:18 > 0:40:21of a high, and this part really changes in adolescence
0:40:21 > 0:40:25and we can see that in adolescent behaviour. But we can also see that
0:40:25 > 0:40:28in MRI scanners, so if you get an adolescent to do something
0:40:28 > 0:40:31that they get a reward, this part of the brain really lights up
0:40:31 > 0:40:33much more profoundly than in children
0:40:33 > 0:40:35and more, in most cases, than adults as well.
0:40:35 > 0:40:39This isn't a less-good adult brain,
0:40:39 > 0:40:43it's adapted to what we need to do in that period of our lives -
0:40:43 > 0:40:48try new experiences our parents may not approve of, impress girls.
0:40:48 > 0:40:51It's just that evolution hadn't anticipated souped-up cars.
0:40:51 > 0:40:54So, for example, if you were to drive fast,
0:40:54 > 0:40:58have the wind in your hair, that sense of reward
0:40:58 > 0:41:00and that sense of adventure that you get
0:41:00 > 0:41:03is being partly processed in this area.
0:41:03 > 0:41:08This is delivering that kind of sensation of happiness, euphoria?
0:41:08 > 0:41:10Exactly, this part of the brain is vital
0:41:10 > 0:41:11for you to be able to feel that,
0:41:11 > 0:41:15and it seems to be really active in this adolescent age group.
0:41:15 > 0:41:17But an interesting thing is, it's not all of the time.
0:41:17 > 0:41:22So adolescents are capable of having very normal, safe driving behaviour
0:41:22 > 0:41:27in the lab, but when you put them in a more high-emotional situation,
0:41:27 > 0:41:30for example when they've got friends they want to impress,
0:41:30 > 0:41:33then they seem to behave in a more risky way
0:41:33 > 0:41:36and they activate this part of their brain more.
0:41:36 > 0:41:39Who do you think are the most dangerous people on the roads?
0:41:39 > 0:41:42- Definitely old people.- Who are the most dangerous people on the roads?
0:41:42 > 0:41:46- Why women?- Because they pull out on you for no reason.
0:41:46 > 0:41:48- THEY ALL LAUGH - Just...
0:41:48 > 0:41:50no common sense at all.
0:41:50 > 0:41:53All the boys that we've spoken to, when we have asked them
0:41:53 > 0:41:56"who do you think are the most dangerous people on the roads?"
0:41:56 > 0:41:57none of them have said, "We are."
0:41:57 > 0:41:59They've all blamed women or old people.
0:41:59 > 0:42:02They think it's a conspiracy, they think it's a stereotype.
0:42:02 > 0:42:05And they're saying that the reality doesn't match the stereotype.
0:42:05 > 0:42:08But it's as if they're in denial.
0:42:08 > 0:42:10It's as if they've persuaded themselves
0:42:10 > 0:42:12of a particular view of the world.
0:42:12 > 0:42:15And they've got categorisations for women and old people.
0:42:15 > 0:42:18And as long as they stick to that, they can feel invincible.
0:42:18 > 0:42:23It seems we're the worst people to asses our own driving ability.
0:42:23 > 0:42:28Of the 1,900 road deaths last year, one in five were young people.
0:42:28 > 0:42:33And it's not just male drivers. Young women are also at high risk.
0:42:33 > 0:42:37Much of this is simply due to lack of experience on the road.
0:42:37 > 0:42:41However, there are some proposals around to address this.
0:42:41 > 0:42:44The Association of British Insurers are calling
0:42:44 > 0:42:47for graduated driving licences for young people,
0:42:47 > 0:42:50so you would be able to start learning to drive
0:42:50 > 0:42:53six months earlier than you can currently,
0:42:53 > 0:42:57so while you're 16-and-a-half, but then you have to wear L plates
0:42:57 > 0:42:59on your cars for an extra year,
0:42:59 > 0:43:01you're not allowed to have friends in the car with you.
0:43:01 > 0:43:06And you can't drive between the hours of 11pm and 4am.
0:43:06 > 0:43:10And also stricter rules on the amount of alcohol
0:43:10 > 0:43:12that a young person can have in their system whilst driving.
0:43:12 > 0:43:15Accidents amongst this group of young doesn't just come down
0:43:15 > 0:43:18to risk-taking. Often it's lack of experience,
0:43:18 > 0:43:22they just haven't been driving long enough to fully understand roads
0:43:22 > 0:43:25or cars, so graduated driving licences make a lot of sense.
0:43:25 > 0:43:28We know that in Sweden when this happened,
0:43:28 > 0:43:31there was about a 40% reduction in crashes.
0:43:31 > 0:43:33So there are massive opportunities
0:43:33 > 0:43:37for us to decrease the amount of blood on the road.
0:43:37 > 0:43:41These kinds of interventions are most effective for high-risk groups.
0:43:41 > 0:43:46Another high-risk group are in fact the most experienced drivers
0:43:46 > 0:43:48of them all - the elderly.
0:43:48 > 0:43:52His life was torn apart when his wife and son were killed
0:43:52 > 0:43:55after a car mounted the pavement they were walking along.
0:43:55 > 0:43:58It was being driven by an elderly man who had a heart attack.
0:43:58 > 0:44:00..calling for a change in the law
0:44:00 > 0:44:02so drivers over a certain age are retested.
0:44:02 > 0:44:04His age, his reaction times,
0:44:04 > 0:44:06his reading of certain situations were failing.
0:44:06 > 0:44:10Let's look at the statistics for how age affects accidents.
0:44:10 > 0:44:14Drivers under 20 are 12 times more likely than not
0:44:14 > 0:44:16to be to blame for an accident.
0:44:16 > 0:44:19Drivers aged 50 are more likely to be innocent.
0:44:19 > 0:44:24By 80, it's back up to seven times more likely to be to blame
0:44:24 > 0:44:25and climbing.
0:44:25 > 0:44:28There have been calls for compulsory retesting of the elderly.
0:44:28 > 0:44:31So we thought we'd put them head-to-head with the young
0:44:31 > 0:44:33and see how they compare.
0:44:34 > 0:44:36Adolescents versus...
0:44:36 > 0:44:38Octogenarians.
0:44:39 > 0:44:44I've got my team of young drivers, a lot of them have had crashes,
0:44:44 > 0:44:47they're paying a lot of money for their insurance.
0:44:47 > 0:44:50It is a concern, but they all tell me they're very safe drivers,
0:44:50 > 0:44:52so all I can do is believe them.
0:44:53 > 0:44:56Dr Crundall and his team have designed an obstacle course
0:44:56 > 0:44:58for our drivers to negotiate.
0:45:00 > 0:45:02It consists of nine gates.
0:45:02 > 0:45:04At each gate they will have a choice of two gaps.
0:45:04 > 0:45:07They'll get more points for the narrower gap.
0:45:07 > 0:45:11- Fewer for the wider one. - No points if they touch the sides.
0:45:11 > 0:45:14So we can see if there's a difference in the risk
0:45:14 > 0:45:18- which they're prepared to take. - And also in their driving ability.
0:45:18 > 0:45:22All our drivers are accompanied by a qualified driving instructor,
0:45:22 > 0:45:25- but he's not allowed to help. - There's no time limit...
0:45:25 > 0:45:26Go.
0:45:26 > 0:45:28ENGINE STRAINS
0:45:28 > 0:45:31'And no extra points for speed.' Steady, go!
0:45:34 > 0:45:37Who will score higher?
0:45:37 > 0:45:39Who do you think's going to be safer, you,
0:45:39 > 0:45:42- or someone in their eighties? - I think us.
0:45:42 > 0:45:43Who's going to be best?
0:45:43 > 0:45:45We are!
0:45:45 > 0:45:49First up for the older drivers, Jenny, driving since 1948.
0:45:49 > 0:45:53It must have been quite unusual for a woman to drive in 1948.
0:45:53 > 0:45:56- I suppose it was. I've always been a bit of a go-getter.- Go!
0:45:59 > 0:46:02Is she going to go for... It's two fives there, isn't it?
0:46:02 > 0:46:05- It's not very wide.- No.
0:46:05 > 0:46:09We'll go through the twenties, get our marks up as high as possible.
0:46:09 > 0:46:12- Oh, yes, she's knocked it down. - Bad mark!
0:46:12 > 0:46:15I love my car, it's like my wife.
0:46:15 > 0:46:18I go everywhere in it, and it's just my life.
0:46:18 > 0:46:20- You nervous, Taelor?- No.
0:46:21 > 0:46:24Taelor is completely oblivious to his seatbelt alarm.
0:46:24 > 0:46:27ALARM BEEPS
0:46:28 > 0:46:33We want to know how observant our drivers are whilst concentrating
0:46:33 > 0:46:36on driving the course, so we've dressed one of our cameramen
0:46:36 > 0:46:38in a bear suit.
0:46:38 > 0:46:41This might equate to noticing a pedestrian stepping out
0:46:41 > 0:46:44while you're looking for a parking place.
0:46:44 > 0:46:45What was the cameraman wearing?
0:46:45 > 0:46:48I don't know, I wasn't looking for the cameraman.
0:46:48 > 0:46:50- You didn't spot the cameraman?- No.
0:46:50 > 0:46:53HE LAUGHS
0:46:53 > 0:46:55You're all over 80, how do you feel about driving?
0:46:55 > 0:46:57I mean, are you as good at driving as you were?
0:46:57 > 0:47:02I mean, we don't know, but we just are careful drivers and...
0:47:03 > 0:47:07..and our life, if you took our cars away,
0:47:07 > 0:47:09our whole lives would change.
0:47:09 > 0:47:12If I had to give up my car, I've no means of getting anywhere
0:47:12 > 0:47:15and I live in a rural area like this,
0:47:15 > 0:47:18there just are no buses to get me into town.
0:47:18 > 0:47:21- I don't mind doing left turns. - But you don't like right turns.
0:47:21 > 0:47:24- I don't like right turns. - That'll make it hard to get around.
0:47:24 > 0:47:26Then I'm going left.
0:47:26 > 0:47:27Round to the left.
0:47:27 > 0:47:30'Our village is very near Junction 17, M4'
0:47:30 > 0:47:32so I go along there,
0:47:32 > 0:47:34turn left into the hospital,
0:47:34 > 0:47:37when I come to leave, I go out and turn left again
0:47:37 > 0:47:39and come back on the old road...
0:47:39 > 0:47:42- Avoiding right turns. - Avoiding any right turns.
0:47:42 > 0:47:43So you're driving down here
0:47:43 > 0:47:45and you decide whether you want to go through...
0:47:45 > 0:47:48Which of those two gates do you want to go through?
0:47:48 > 0:47:50- Right...- And as you go round there, there's a 10 and a 20.
0:47:50 > 0:47:51You can't go through there!
0:47:51 > 0:47:53- You can.- You can't!
0:47:53 > 0:47:55You can, no, you can.
0:47:55 > 0:47:59After a cautious start, Marian uses a new tactic.
0:47:59 > 0:48:01- How do you reverse?- That's it, yep.
0:48:03 > 0:48:06- Reversing to re-align... - That's sensible, isn't it?
0:48:06 > 0:48:08If you're not sure you're going to negotiate,
0:48:08 > 0:48:10you know, she's playing it cool.
0:48:10 > 0:48:11Certainly for elderly people,
0:48:11 > 0:48:15you expect that doing multiple tasks at the same time
0:48:15 > 0:48:18in a dynamic environment will be difficult.
0:48:18 > 0:48:22The way Marian's dealing with this - she's actually stopping the car,
0:48:22 > 0:48:24then making that decision while she's stationary.
0:48:24 > 0:48:27It's a very sensible compensatory strategy she's using.
0:48:27 > 0:48:30There is a lot of discussion at the moment
0:48:30 > 0:48:32about introducing compulsory testing for older drivers.
0:48:32 > 0:48:36Would you agree that people should have compulsory testing?
0:48:36 > 0:48:39I don't think it should wait until we're 80
0:48:39 > 0:48:43because if you're still handling a car properly at 60,
0:48:43 > 0:48:45you'll probably still be handling it all right at 80.
0:48:45 > 0:48:50The high-scoring gap at the end of the course is worth 40 points,
0:48:50 > 0:48:53although it's actually narrower than the car.
0:48:53 > 0:48:55We've called it the impossigate,
0:48:55 > 0:48:58but Len manages, with an impressive display of skill,
0:48:58 > 0:49:00to get his car through.
0:49:00 > 0:49:05So what are the results on risk-taking and driving ability?
0:49:05 > 0:49:07It takes a week for the number crunching.
0:49:07 > 0:49:11Did old drivers score more points than young drivers?
0:49:11 > 0:49:12- Are they better?- Are they better?
0:49:12 > 0:49:16They did score more points - we've got 91 points for the old drivers.
0:49:17 > 0:49:20- only 81 points for the young drivers.- Whoa!
0:49:20 > 0:49:24Statistically speaking, that gap isn't big enough.
0:49:24 > 0:49:27- Yeah, it's not that significant. - But there is definitely a trend
0:49:27 > 0:49:29where the old drivers are doing better.
0:49:29 > 0:49:33So we can't draw concrete conclusions about ability,
0:49:33 > 0:49:34but what about risk-taking?
0:49:34 > 0:49:39Which group was tempted through the narrower gates by higher points?
0:49:39 > 0:49:44Again, it's actually favouring the old people for being slightly risky.
0:49:44 > 0:49:45Oh, 40.
0:49:45 > 0:49:48- 40 or 10. Your choice. - That's too tempting for words.
0:49:48 > 0:49:51The older drivers were slightly more likely to go for the risky gate,
0:49:51 > 0:49:53but slightly more likely to get through as well.
0:49:53 > 0:49:56She's made it. That was another 20 points, I think.
0:49:56 > 0:49:59So the old are taking risks to earn points,
0:49:59 > 0:50:01but well-calculated ones,
0:50:01 > 0:50:05and not least because they were three times slower than the young,
0:50:05 > 0:50:08some of whom really went for it.
0:50:08 > 0:50:09We're rocking, ain't we?
0:50:09 > 0:50:11Both groups had been clearly told
0:50:11 > 0:50:14that speed didn't gain points.
0:50:14 > 0:50:17The octogenarians seemed to take that on board.
0:50:17 > 0:50:21But there was one other important result for the old drivers,
0:50:21 > 0:50:23'not as a group, but as individuals.'
0:50:23 > 0:50:25'One of them was clearly the best driver
0:50:25 > 0:50:29'and another was by far and away the worst.'
0:50:29 > 0:50:32'Where does that leave compulsory retesting?'
0:50:32 > 0:50:35Is it fair to, in this instance,
0:50:35 > 0:50:39to blanket-test all the blue people in this graph...
0:50:39 > 0:50:42Given that they've done better than the young people...
0:50:42 > 0:50:45- ..just to find the outliers? - But one's done really badly.
0:50:45 > 0:50:48- But hold on, this outlier is really bad.- It's way off the scale.
0:50:51 > 0:50:53There's not much evidence
0:50:53 > 0:50:56that those types of measures for elderly people
0:50:56 > 0:50:59will have a major impact.
0:50:59 > 0:51:04In fact, older people do tend to take very sensible precautions.
0:51:04 > 0:51:07Once they have medical issues,
0:51:07 > 0:51:12they often will take themselves out of driving completely
0:51:12 > 0:51:15or they will actually reduce their high exposure,
0:51:15 > 0:51:18so they don't tend to drive at night,
0:51:18 > 0:51:21they don't tend to drive in highly congested situations,
0:51:21 > 0:51:24so they're actually reducing their exposure to risk.
0:51:24 > 0:51:28'We've been examining the accident statistics for groups of drivers
0:51:28 > 0:51:30'but as we've seen, everyone's different.'
0:51:30 > 0:51:35'A few older drivers could influence policy for all the others.'
0:51:35 > 0:51:40Safe young drivers often have to pay inflated insurance premiums
0:51:40 > 0:51:42based on the driving of the worst of their group.
0:51:42 > 0:51:47But the insurance companies believe they may have a way to address this.
0:51:47 > 0:51:50Telematics boxes keep a record of every journey,
0:51:50 > 0:51:53including speed, time of day,
0:51:53 > 0:51:55location, cornering,
0:51:55 > 0:51:57acceleration and braking,
0:51:57 > 0:51:59so that insurers can weigh up the risk.
0:51:59 > 0:52:04But how do our young drivers feel about being constantly monitored?
0:52:04 > 0:52:06I wouldn't have a black box in my car.
0:52:06 > 0:52:09My insurance company already have enough details, you know.
0:52:09 > 0:52:11Why should I then tell them what I'm getting up to?
0:52:11 > 0:52:14I think it would be quite good to see what your driving's like,
0:52:14 > 0:52:16so if you think you're a good driver
0:52:16 > 0:52:18but find out you're not, you can improve yourself.
0:52:18 > 0:52:22So why wouldn't you want anyone knowing how you're driving?
0:52:22 > 0:52:25Because sometimes it's not the best style of driving
0:52:25 > 0:52:27and it is aggressive
0:52:27 > 0:52:29but I feel I'm safe doing it.
0:52:29 > 0:52:31Black box in my car, I think it'd be all right.
0:52:31 > 0:52:33I don't really do anything stupid.
0:52:33 > 0:52:37There's someone monitoring you 24/7. I don't like being monitored 24/7.
0:52:37 > 0:52:40The simple fact that parents can see what they're up to
0:52:40 > 0:52:44seems to make young drivers safer on its own, as demonstrated
0:52:44 > 0:52:48by lower accident rates where telematics boxes are in use.
0:52:48 > 0:52:52There are massive opportunities for black box technology
0:52:52 > 0:52:58to improve the insurance for younger drivers in particular,
0:52:58 > 0:53:00and to improve their safety
0:53:00 > 0:53:05because let's face it, if young drivers cannot afford the insurance
0:53:05 > 0:53:07at their current situation,
0:53:07 > 0:53:10they can afford it by simply driving safe.
0:53:10 > 0:53:12Straightforward for everyone.
0:53:12 > 0:53:15Could this technology also help
0:53:15 > 0:53:18with other high-risk groups like the elderly?
0:53:19 > 0:53:22Or are we putting too much power in the hands of the authorities
0:53:22 > 0:53:26by allowing ourselves to be tracked and monitored all the time?
0:53:28 > 0:53:33Telematics are designed to record and highlight our mistakes,
0:53:33 > 0:53:34to help us change.
0:53:34 > 0:53:36Other technologies being developed
0:53:36 > 0:53:39are taking an even more radical approach.
0:53:42 > 0:53:45It's five o'clock in the morning and I'm about to be driven
0:53:45 > 0:53:48to a secret location somewhere in Sweden
0:53:48 > 0:53:51to experience the future of car technology.
0:53:56 > 0:53:58In almost all accidents, human error plays a role.
0:53:58 > 0:54:01So if I put it really simplistically, I could say,
0:54:01 > 0:54:02if we would remove the human
0:54:02 > 0:54:04and drive completely automatically,
0:54:04 > 0:54:07there's a huge potential of making traffic safer.
0:54:20 > 0:54:21Look at that!
0:54:21 > 0:54:23SHE LAUGHS
0:54:24 > 0:54:26This is so weird.
0:54:26 > 0:54:28My feet and my hands!
0:54:30 > 0:54:31I don't need to use either.
0:54:33 > 0:54:36This is the first type of driverless car
0:54:36 > 0:54:38we're likely to see on our roads.
0:54:38 > 0:54:42The necessary technology is already available in many of our cars.
0:54:44 > 0:54:46The idea is called platooning.
0:54:46 > 0:54:49One driver, in this case in the truck,
0:54:49 > 0:54:52takes control of the vehicles behind him.
0:54:52 > 0:54:54The technology is here.
0:54:54 > 0:54:58I'm sitting in a car that's essentially driving on its own.
0:54:58 > 0:54:59It's quite amazing.
0:54:59 > 0:55:02Platooning is being developed
0:55:02 > 0:55:05by a consortium called SARTRE with EU money.
0:55:05 > 0:55:07'It can take control of our cars
0:55:07 > 0:55:10'using systems you may already be driving around with - '
0:55:10 > 0:55:13lane-keeping aids and adaptive cruise control,
0:55:13 > 0:55:16which manage speed, steering and braking.
0:55:16 > 0:55:19It's all connected using wi-fi technology.
0:55:22 > 0:55:27What I want to know is, there's still a driver in the truck,
0:55:27 > 0:55:29what if he makes a mistake?
0:55:29 > 0:55:32He will have support systems that warn him to react
0:55:32 > 0:55:34and if he's not reacting,
0:55:34 > 0:55:37the truck will autonomously brake
0:55:37 > 0:55:41- and all the cars behind him as well...- Will brake.- Yeah.
0:55:41 > 0:55:44And they'll brake in time,
0:55:44 > 0:55:46- so that you don't end up shunting the car in front.- Yes.
0:55:46 > 0:55:50Be prepared now, we're going to do a medium harsh braking.
0:55:52 > 0:55:53Oh, wow.
0:55:53 > 0:55:55She's not touching anything.
0:55:55 > 0:55:58- No!- No feet on pedals.
0:55:58 > 0:56:01This is a system for the motorway.
0:56:01 > 0:56:04It could be installed, for example, in a scheduled coach service
0:56:04 > 0:56:07which is already running up and down a route.
0:56:07 > 0:56:10Cars or lorries could drive up behind the vehicle
0:56:10 > 0:56:12and join the road train.
0:56:12 > 0:56:14But there is one big obstacle -
0:56:14 > 0:56:19this kind of technology requires a fundamental change in the law.
0:56:19 > 0:56:24All over the world, motoring law is underpinned by one principle -
0:56:24 > 0:56:26a car must be under the control of the driver.
0:56:26 > 0:56:30In other words, a human MUST be in charge.
0:56:30 > 0:56:34But we've seen that humans are the biggest problem.
0:56:34 > 0:56:38SARTRE believe the move to more automated cars is inevitable.
0:56:38 > 0:56:43And estimates the necessary legislation will take ten years.
0:56:43 > 0:56:46'Meanwhile, our need for sleep...'
0:56:46 > 0:56:47Wake up!
0:56:47 > 0:56:49Our inability to concentrate...
0:56:49 > 0:56:51The desire for alcohol and drugs...
0:56:51 > 0:56:53There we go.
0:56:53 > 0:56:55..to show off to our peers...
0:56:55 > 0:56:57..the things that make us human
0:56:57 > 0:57:01will continue to make us a danger to ourselves and others on the road.
0:57:01 > 0:57:04So what are we prepared to give up in order to save lives?
0:57:04 > 0:57:07The right to enjoy a drink?
0:57:07 > 0:57:10Or not to be monitored wherever we go?
0:57:10 > 0:57:14For many of us, driving is about freedom and personal choice.
0:57:16 > 0:57:19It took decades to make seatbelts compulsory.
0:57:19 > 0:57:22Seatbelt's there for a reason and it's there to save lives.
0:57:22 > 0:57:25I didn't put it on, and I...
0:57:25 > 0:57:27I have to deal with the consequences.
0:57:27 > 0:57:31Surveillance and driverless technologies
0:57:31 > 0:57:33present more complex choices.
0:57:33 > 0:57:36But with nearly 2,000 dead on the roads,
0:57:36 > 0:57:39are we as a nation paying enough attention to the problems?
0:57:39 > 0:57:44Or are we wasting opportunities and lives?
0:57:44 > 0:57:48There's no such thing as an accident. Everything has a cause.
0:57:48 > 0:57:50Everyone still calls them accidents.
0:57:50 > 0:57:55So if the priority is to tackle the causes and cut casualties,
0:57:55 > 0:57:57we must all play our part.
0:57:57 > 0:58:01If this was some obscure cancer,
0:58:01 > 0:58:05then we would be working really hard to produce the solutions.
0:58:05 > 0:58:09We know what the solutions are for driving.
0:58:09 > 0:58:12We just need to persuade ourselves to implement them.
0:58:13 > 0:58:19But as we all know, humans are often reluctant to take the safest course.
0:58:42 > 0:58:46Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd