Co-operative Insurance signs up 20,000 young drivers for 'black box' scheme in first year

Co-operative Insurance has signed up 20,000 drivers for its Young Driver scheme.

The scheme, aimed at 17 to 25 year-olds relies on a 'black box' that measures speed, cornering, braking and acceleration. Young drivers showing safe patterns of behaviour are rewarded with discounts on their insurance premiums.

The Co-op reckons that drivers using the black box have 20 per cent fewer crashes than those who don't. They can also log in to the data collected by the box to see for themselves how they're doing and get tips for safer driving.

Over 80 per cent of drivers using the scheme have qualified for a safe driving discount, averaging £100. The Co-op's average premium for customers aged between 17 and 22 is £1,345, a hefty reduction on the industry average of £3,478 according to AA British Insurance Premium Index data (April 2012).