Press Release - 9/January/2001 National Safety Council is bought and paid for by AXA for a Political Campaign. The following incorrect claim can be found on the NSC web site http://www.nsc.ie/RoadSafetyWeek.asp - Young men of this age (16-25) also cause the greatest number of road accidents (57 %). "An entire Ad campaign paid for by the insurance company AXA has been launched by the NSC based almost entirely on this single incorrect fact" said Mick Murphy the National Organiser of MIJAG, the Motor Insurance Justice Action Group. MIJAG has got confirmation in writing from NRA officials that the 57% figure contained in the National Roads Authority Report ‘Young Driver Accident statistics 1997’ refers to the accidents that young drivers are involved in (25% of the Total) and not all accidents. The same report says that "Young male drivers account for 10.8% of all drivers killed". This group account for 6% of all drivers. Mick Murphy says "All the independent reports show that young drivers represent twice the average risk but pay five times the average premium or £2,311 per annum. It is disgusting to see the vital work of the NSC compromised by being used in a highly political campaign by the insurance companies to discredit young drivers in their attempt to justify massively inflated premiums. The NSC should do its own independent research and use its own money to run ad campaigns. Instead it misinterprets other organisations reports and has its ad campaigns sponsored by organisations with a vested interest in distorting facts about young drivers". MIJAG has already written to the NRA asking them to issue a statement clarifying its report and is asking the NSC to remove this false information from its web site. Back to Press Release Index