Teens complete extensive classroom and hands-on instruction before taking that coveted driver’s license test. But when it comes to preventing crashes, it seems that months of preparation and training are no substitute for time and experience behind the wheel. The National Safety Council compiled a list of little known teen driver safety statistics that give parents’ more to worry about.
The following are little-known facts about teens and driving:
- Car accidents are the leading cause of teen fatalities in the United States. Teens are more likely to die in a car crash than any other type of accident. Teens and young adults have the lowest seat-belt use of any age group despite the fact that seatbelts decrease accident injuries and deaths by half.
- Teens are in the most danger during the year they receive their driver’s license. Research on brain development shows that teens are more sensitive to emotional and social rewards offered by their peers than by the adults in their lives. Their physiological need to fit in makes them more susceptible to risky behavior like speeding, drunk driving, or texting behind the wheel.
- Half of all teens will be involved in a car accident before they graduate high school. This statistic can simply be chalked up to inexperience. Novice drivers have not learned how to detect and react to hazards. They are also more likely to underestimate dangerous situations.
- Teens are three times more likely to have a car accident than other drivers with more experience. Learning how to drive in the classroom and with supervised driving instruction is no substitute for real world experience. Seasoned drivers learn with time – and maybe after a few minor fender benders – how to react to hazards.
- Car accidents and fatalities involving teens are increasing after years of decline. It comes as no surprise that the rise in cell phone use coincides with an increase in car accidents involving teens. The risk of a car accident is four times higher when a driver is using a cell phone – even when the call is hands-free.
Preventing Teen Driver Accidents
Teens are involved in more car accidents than any other age group because they are more likely to drive without scanning ahead, drive too fast, and drive while distracted. Knowing the three critical errors causing accidents helps parents, teachers, and driver safety advocates protect teen drivers.
Experts recommend parents put in more practice time in the weeks and months leading up to the driver’s test. Incentives for smart safe driving are a good way to encourage teens to make good decisions behind the wheel. Yet, the most effective way for parents to motivate teens to make good choices is to model safe driving habits for them each and every day.
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Reckless drivers cause thousands of serious and fatal car accidents every year. Victims are often left with painful injuries that impact their quality of life. The Cherry Hill personal injury lawyers at Folkman Law Offices, P.C. manage your claim so you can focus on your recovery. We fight for the compensation you deserve for your physical, emotional, and financial damages.
To schedule a free case review with a seasoned Cherry Hill car accident lawyer, call Folkman Law Offices, P.C. today at 856-354-9444 or contact us online. We have locations in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, King of Prussia and Center City to serve clients in South Jersey and the greater Philadelphia area.
