I know I'm guilty of the middle-aged, "caint be too careful". I took people up too, well before I had 100 hours post-PPL (in my early 20s). It's inevitable    If it were left soley to people near 50 years old to set the drinking age, it would probably be 30, not 21.

I think though, the safety record for low-hour pilots is exactly as you alluded... extra-careful (as in, not complacent)(and that's just human nature). Also, the "young" pilot's flights, with passengers, are likely to be short, in perfect weather and not subject to any "get-there-itis" (like taking off into marginal VFR and flying on top of clouds    ).

My brother didn't get to go up with me until I had 250 hours. Not because he didn't trust me... but because a friend of the family (retired airline pilot) said so. During my initial protests he said, "let's talk about this when you have 500 hours". Unfortunately, marriage and other priorities side-tracked my flying for 20+ years, so I didn't get to have that conversation with him. But I know now, what he meant.

I cringe when I think back at what the people who would/could go up with me were subjected to, right after getting my PPL.


Heck.. *smirk**   I cringe at what I subjected  YOU  to, when I was near 1200 hours