Insurance premiums for young people could soon become unaffordable as the accident rates are so high amongst 15-25-year-olds, according to Co-operative Insurance (CIS).

Each day, on average, there are 35 road deaths and serious injuries in this age bracket and the cost of insuring young drivers has increased by 22% over the past three years, compared with only 2% for all other drivers.

“If this trend continues, many young car owners will be unable to afford insurance and that will inevitably lead to a rise in the number of uninsured motorists on the roads,” said David Neave, CIS director of general insurance.

The Association of British Insurers has also issued a warning about the affordability of car insurance for the young, especially the increasing incidence of uninsured drivers getting behind the wheel and having to be paid out from contingency funds.

CIS has joined up with road safety charity Brake and produced an education pack for schools entitled ‘Too Young to Die’, containing safety advice and accounts from accident victims.

“Too many young people think they are invincible and fail to consider how their dangerous actions behind the wheel can kill and maim themselves, their friends and other road users,” said Jools Townsend, head of education at Brake.