That’s according to new research by the Co-operative Insurance, which finds that over a quarter (26%) of drivers display bad speeding behaviours within a week of passing their test, with 10% breaking speed limits within 24 hours of becoming a legal driver.

Of the drivers who speed, two-fifths (43%) admit to regularly breaking the limit by 5%, nearly a quarter (24%) regularly break the speed limit by 10% and a tenth (10%) of drivers regularly exceed the speed limit by 20%.

The 17-24 age group are the most likely to display bad speeding behaviours, with four-fifths (81%) admitting to doing so. Drivers aged over 55 are the safest when it comes to speed, with over a third (37%) saying they never display these behaviours. Men (74%) are marginally more likely to speed than women (72%).

Despite this, the research reveals that two-thirds of drivers (67%) believe that their driving has improved since they passed their test, with nearly three quarters (72%) of drivers thinking that passengers who drive with them regularly would agree.

The research also shows that over a quarter (28%) of drivers believe they wouldn’t be able to pass their driving test if they took it today, with drivers aged 25-34 (30%) most pessimistic about their chances. The main reason for this is because they have adopted bad driving habits (45%) with more drivers under 24 (53%) believing this to be true of them than any other age group.