Young Drivers Have car Accidents Because of Peer Pressure

by

Julia R Smith

New research shows that young drivers are being killed in car accidents because of peer pressure. Young adults aged between 17 and 21 are driving differently to what they would normally when they have friends with them in the car. The research was provided by a car insurance provider that also found young drivers car deaths were due to poor training and not strapping up their seat belts when behind the wheel.

The car insurance provider studied young drivers’ behaviour and their attitudes to driving in an attempt to understand why young motorists are more at risk of accident or injury. Not only do young drivers alter the way they drive when they have friends with them, they also admit to losing their concentration easily when they have more than one mate in the car. The research showed that one in five paid less attention to the road. What is even more shocking, one in four teenagers also admitted to taking their hands of the wheel when driving. According to Department for Transport statistics, young-driver accidents and deaths are declining more slowly than in other groups of motorists. And it is no wonder if the results of this new study are anything to go by. 15% admitted they perform illegal driving manoeuvres and 97% know to drive more carefully when in the car with a parent or grandparent. Face-to-face interviews with young drivers where carried out to find out their experiences of driving with their friends. And here is another statistic you wouldn’t want your child to admit – 9% of those surveyed said they would not have awarded themselves a licence when they successfully passed their driving test. One in four young drivers had no extra training beyond paid lessons, and one in five only practised with their instructor on the driving test route. Adam Gilbert, 19, from Aylesford, said: ‘I think my mates drive differently with friends in their car. They are a bit more ambitious and less sensible. They might show off a little bit show how fast their car can go.’ Alex Rodwell, 17, from Barnet, said: ‘I don’t see the difference between putting the seatbelt over your shoulder or under your shoulder. I know if it’s under it can mess up your arm and stuff and that over the shoulder is better for the impact but the belt cuts into your neck and it’s uncomfortable. ‘It depends on the impact because if it’s side on, it does nothing.’ Nigel Bartram has called on young drivers and their passengers to wise up when behind the wheel. He urged younger drivers to take more personal responsibility, wear seatbelts so t hey can be more safe on the roads and reduce the chances of being involved in an accident and suffering injury. Nigel Bartram said, ‘Young drivers and passengers alike need to take responsibility for their own actions this means wearing a seatbelt at all times, driving with fewer passengers and not giving in to peer pressure while behind the wheel.’

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Young Drivers Have car Accidents Because of Peer Pressure

By Sean A. Kelly

‘What can I do if I receive a debt settlement offer from Amex?’ is a question that some heavily indebted Americans may be asking themselves at this very moment. The easy answer is of course, to accept it, but wait! Things are hardly ever as simple, especially when it comes to financial matters.

American Express, commonly known as Amex, is a global financial service company and has been listed as one of the top 30 Most Admired Companies in the World by Fortune. Given this high power background, you may find yourself asking if a debt settlement offer from Amex is valid. If your account has been delinquent and debt payments have been long overdue, then yes, Amex may just do that. In fact, most lenders or creditors would be quite willing to settle your debts if you are in a deep financial distress where your next best option is to announce bankruptcy. When you do that, none of your lenders or creditors will be able to collect a single penny from you, which is why it is usually in their best interest to settle with you.

Debt settlement is also sometimes known as debt negotiation. In a scenario when you are no longer able to make the monthly minimum payment, even with lowered interest rates and waivered late fees, you may opt to negotiate with your creditors to settle the debts. The settled amount is usually lower than the total amount owed, but is acceptable to both the creditor and yourself. Bear in mind that Amex, or any other creditor for that matter, will generally not consider debt settlement if you are current on your payments. In most cases, the longer your account has been past due, the better settlement you are likely to receive.

As mentioned earlier, debt settlement is not a simple matter. Be sure to call Amex first to ensure that they are still your assigned creditor, as they typically charge off delinquent accounts after 6 months although it could be as early as 90 days too. After the charge off, you would not be dealing with Amex anymore, but more likely a third party debt collection agency. Even if Amex has extended a settlement offer to you, there is a chance that you may still negotiate further. Settlement offer can usually range from as low as 20% to 85%, depending on the creditor, your credit rating and the account’s delinquency. Your initial offer may be rejected but don’t give in; instead continue to propose until both parties can reach to an agreeable offer. You may want to be prepared for such negotiation to last for a few days, perhaps even weeks.

Don’t worry if the majority of your debt is made up of credit card debts – you may still settle these debts. However, you should know that credit card settlement ordinarily only involves the debts incurred from credit cards. If you have other debts that you wish to settle, you would probably need to do it in another settlement. Again, take your time to discuss about the settlement offer with your creditor until you reach an agreement. Another question that is often asked is whether one should do this on one’s own or to hire a professional. This really depends on the individual. The upside of getting professional help is that they are more likely to know how much a creditor is willing to settle for and how to go about doing it. Some negotiators will assist you for a small fee, but there are non-profit agencies that provide such service free of charge too.

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