Teen Drivers

2 Pages 389 Words

“scary quote….” Traffic accidents are the leading cause of death in people ages 16 to 20. They account for roughly one-third of all fatalities in this age group. People ages 16 to 20 make up only six percent of American drivers and only drive three percent of all miles driven yet they are involved in fifteen percent of traffic deaths. Traffic accidents are the leading cause of disability and spinal cord injuries among youth. A 16-year-old driver is twenty times as likely to have a traffic accident as the general population.
With these sobering statistics as a backdrop, let’s take a look at the factors endangering our young drivers. Inexperience though this may seem obvious can make a big difference. Most young drivers simply don’t have the behind-the-wheel experience necessary to understand the dynamics associated with driving a motor vehicle. There’s a vast difference between riding in the passenger seat and being behind the wheel. Generally, when it comes to driving, age and experience lends a certain “street savviness” to the endeavor.
Many teens drivers also have a tendency to drive too fast. This sometimes leads to poor driving decisions and can cause accidents. According to NHTSA, almost a quarter (twenty-two percent) of Americans who died in speed-related crashes were youth (15-20). And yet they represent just six percent of the total driving population.
While teen substance abuse has been a concern for decades, mixing it with motor vehicles has particularly lethal effects. Its dangerous enough for teens to ingest substances that alter perception and reaction times; doing it behind the wheel of a car is almost suicidal. Statistics show some signs of abating, but the numbers are still too high.
Almost equally suicidal is the refusal to wear seatbelts. According to NHTSA, approximately fifty-four percent of young people who die in passenger vehicle crashes are not wearing seatbelts. Its impossible to chang...