Table reveals where learner drivers have the fewest accidents

Aberdeen has come ninth in a UK table that reveals the areas where learner drivers are least likely to become involved in an accident.

It sits ahead of Glasgow (11th place), Falkirk (15th), Edinburgh (17th) and Dumfries (19th), but behind Kilmarnock and Paisley who sit in third and fourth place respectively.

The Aberdeen postcode area, which has 55,292 provisional licence holders, saw just nine reported road accidents involving learner drivers. For comparison, the worst UK area for learner driver accidents in 2020 was Colchester, which has a total of 46,424 provisional licence holders and recorded 117 accidents.

Kilmarnock has 45,365 learners and recorded only five accidents, while the town of Paisley has 44,082 learners with just six accidents recorded.

Meanwhile, the Dundee area ranked as the worst in Scotland (ninth in the UK) with 31 accidents reported involving drivers with a provisional licence, out of 35,742 learners.

Bill Plant Driving School analysed data to discover which areas in Britain see the most risk of having a road accident during a driving lesson, by comparing the number of provisional licence holders in each area to the number of reported road accidents involving drivers with a provisional licence.

Although the driving instructor should be there to offer help and advice, learners should know a few important steps to take, regardless of who is to blame for the crash.

For learner drivers who have been involved in a collision:

■ Stop the car – it is illegal to drive away from the scene of a crash, whether the damage is severe or not.

■ Turn off your engine and switch hazards on.

■ Check for injuries on yourself and any passengers. Note down the condition of all parties at the scene as this could be helpful if someone tries making an injury claim against you.

■ Dial 999 for an ambulance if anyone is injured. Notify the police if the road is blocked.

■ Exchange details with everyone involved, including name, address and car registration.

■ Do not admit fault – even an apology can be used against you when claiming compensation.

In 2020, the Department for Transport recorded a total of 115,584 road traffic accidents in Great Britain, a 25% decrease from the previous year.

SAFETY STATS: Aberdeen is one of the top 10 UK areas for learner drivers least likely to be involved in a collision.