'The key finding in our study was that we discovered the main contributor to crashes is actual behaviours when young drivers are behind the wheel - not their perceptions or attitudes about safety,' she added.

Statistics show that young drivers are more likely to be injured or killed in car crashes than older drivers. Young drivers remain overrepresented in road traffic fatalities, showing that young driver safety is a significant public health issue.

Risky driving behaviours included speeding, carrying multiple passengers, listening to loud music and text messaging while driving, said a George Institute release.