The novelty of having a new car can lead to reckless and dangerous drivers as young people try to impress their friends.

This is the warning from Andrew Howard, head of road safety at the AA, who said that bad driving was often down to drivers’ attitudes and not poor training.

"We need to be talking to people who are 13 and 14 about developing the right attitudes towards driving, not leaving it until [they're] 17," he commented.

Mr Howard went on to say that part of the problem is that, once a person hits 17, they can be good at driving despite being not so good at school or playing sports.

His comments come after new research from the Co-Operative Insurance and Brake, which revealed that 30 per cent of young drivers have admitted to driving recklessly and illegally, despite the dangerous consequences.

A quarter of respondents admitted to driving without insurance, without an MOT certificate or without a driving licence.

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