Road news
09/02/2011
Cheapest car insurance and gamers
Young drivers who may think that playing driving video games entitles them to the cheapest car insurance, because of the experience they have acquired through hours of console-time, are sadly mistaken. A new study has revealed that people who regularly play racing or driving games are actually more likely to have an accident than those that do not.
The study was conducted by Continental Tyres on a group of 2,000 people aged 17 to 39 who regularly play racing video games on their computers and gaming consoles. The data revealed that 30% of gamers make an insurance claim after an accident compared to 15% for non-gamers.
Further studies show that gamers are 13% to 25% more likely to speed, and 22% to 45% more likely to experience road rage, as well as being less skilled at performing parking manoeuvers.
Although non gamers typically experience two crashes in their cars each year, compared to one experienced by gamers, statistics show that the accidents which involve gamers are more likely to be serious and cause personal injury.
It has been revealed that one in five gamers believe that playing games gives them practice and makes them more experienced drivers.
Despite what gamers think this study in fact shows that gamers should not be given the cheapest car insurance, as playing games has, it appears, a negative effect on the skill level of driving when behind the wheel on a real road.