Perils Of Teen Drivers

I was surprised that driver distraction accounted for so little of the fatalities. Many teenage drivers become very distracted very easily. There are so many distracting things texting, music, and driving with other teenagers in the vehicle. The Driver’s Handbook also says later that 9% of crashes on Utah Highways involving teens are caused by distracted driving. I am surprised that it is so low given what a broad and prominent category “Driver Distraction”

Teenagers are more likely to speed than older drivers because people have less developed brains at the ages of 16 or 17 than at 21 or 22. As a result, one in four teenagers are aggressive drivers and almost twenty percent of teenagers admit that they enjoy speeding, as stated in the New York Times. Drunk driving is a recent problem even among adults. Although drinking and driving is illegal, and drinking under the age of twenty one is illegal, twenty-five percent of all fatal car crashes caused by teens involve an underage drunk driver. Teenagers also have the lowest rate of seat belt use, and seat belts are the most effective way of reducing accidents. In addition, texting while driving is the number one cause of car accidents among teenagers due to the development of social media. This causes teens to drive while looking down at their phones, which can eventually put them in the hospital. Therefore, raising the driving age to 21 will prevent teens from dying due to car accidents-- the number one cause of teen deaths in 2013, according to the CDC Injury

Although distracted driving is a problem for all drivers, it specifically is a major problem for teenagers. Traffic accidents are the leading cause of death for American teens. When it comes to distracted driving, young people are the most likely to text and talk behind the wheel ("Distracted Driving Facts"). In Idaho between the years of 2010 and 2014, the age group 15-19 experienced the most crashes, with the age group 20-24 coming second. Teenagers also contributed to 10% of fatal car crashes and a little over 15% of serious injury car crashes ("Distracted Crash

Teen Drivers over time have become three times more likely to become involved in a fatal vehicular accident. This statistic often leads to the negative stereotype of teen drivers. However, one must ask why are teens more likely to be involved vehicular accidents rather than any other age group. It would seem that they might have quicker reaction times, and even the ability to pay attention to the road and others around them more. However, these young drivers often attend school for eight hours, participate in extracurricular activities, and then some teens even work part-time even full-time jobs. Therefore, they drive later and later, creating difficulties on top of the lack of experience, for example exhaustion, and distractions whether the

In the United States, Reckless driving is the number one cause of teenage death in the nation. Reckless driving can be classified as anything from speeding and swerving, to purposely trying to run someone over, or hurt them while driving. In America, there are countless organizations calling to help end the high death rate in teenagers that reckless driving takes. People such as Parents, Drivers Education Instructors and even state legislators have realized the problem and are seeking reform. In 2011 alone 2,650 teens between the ages of 16-19 were killed due to reckless driving. (CDC) Reckless driving is a death that is very preventable, with proper education and warning. As well as problem that is not taken seriously by the juvenile’s committing the act. Most juveniles don’t worry what so ever about dying in a car crash because they think that it won’t happen to them. Under Reckless Driving, in Green Bay, speeding, not paying attention and lack of caring are three of the biggest issues with teen drivers and juveniles.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), car crashes are the leading cause of teenage deaths in the U.S. However, convincing a teenage of the reality of this disturbing fact is quite impossible. Therefore, parents must use tact and patience when dealing with eager teen drivers. Below explains four ways to survive your teen transitioning into being a full-time driver.

Tests have showed that the brain isn’t fully developed until someone is around 25 years old. (“Understanding the Teen Brain” n.p). Insurance Institute of Highway safety also states that teens are more likley to engage in risky practices. (“Protecting Our Children” n.p) Showing that a newly licensed driver would not make the best decisions on the road and would planning on drinking and texting when opporating a vechicle. In 2014, 8.7 million teens ages 12-18 reported that they have drank more than a sip of alcohol. Teens of all ages agreed that they have been overly intoxicated more than once and would undgo in that risky behavior. Teens become less alert and make more reckless decisons when drunk, and in result cause more accidents. Texting is another way teens can become distracted when driving. Teens have stated that 70% of them used apps or have sent a text message when behind the wheel of a car (“Driving While Distracted” n.p). Thousands of drivers are killed each year due to distracted driving most of them being teens (“Driving While Distracted” n.p). Distracted and intoxicated driving are both types of behavior that teens encounter when getting the freedom to do

Especially in teenage drivers technology has taken a major toll on a lot of their lives and their parents lives. Technology is killing many people in the new century, and more and more technology is being produced right this minute. Technology helps us in many good ways and many bad ways depending on the circumstances. Distracted driving endangers life and property and the current levels of injury and loss are unacceptable (FCC). Teenage male drivers are one and a half times more likely to die in car crashes than teenage female drivers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Many teenagers try and focus on capturing the moments they have in a car by using snapchat not paying any attention to their surroundings. Adults are not really into things like snapchat and instagram but they also use their phones as a distraction from the road. Studied have found having inexperienced drivers on the road is increasing the amount of deaths caused by a distracted driver. Inexperienced drivers try to focus on everything else but what they need to which is the road and their surroundings. Teens are new to driving and should pay attention to the road more than their phones because they are new to handing a vehicle. Researchers have found the age range of deaths due to distracted drivers is 16-20 years old. Throughout the years the deaths of

Death among U.S. teens is led by vehicle crashes. In the year of 2013, around 2,163 teens were killed between the ages of 16-10 in the United States. Around 243,243 were treated in emergency departments for injuries that they suffered in motor vehicle accidents. Around 75% of teen drivers suffer in these accidents due to 3 major mistakes. Those major mistakes include a lack of scanning the road, distractions in the vehicle, and also going to fast for the conditions of the road.

Everyone has a different opinion on exactly how we should deal with teens driving. How we should restrict them until they’re older or not, If there should be special limitations, or if a curfew should be in place. Everyone has an answer, but nobody has an answer that will address all of the issues. The many different takes have pros and cons.

This fact proves how teens are easily distracted when driving. More than 10,000 teenagers died in Tennessee from speeding in the years from 2005-2008. This proves that teens do have a tendency to speed while driving, let alone this is just one of the 50 states in the U.S (Teen Driver Safety, page 1”). There are many facts about teen driving and all of the facts I have collected just prove my reasons to be more correct than they already are.

Teenager drivers are notorious for high accident rates. It is asking a lot of a teenager to drive responsibly when their vehicle is full of friends going out to party. It could be way to easy for whomever is driving to get distracted, or to get wrapped up in the moment and try to show off to their friends. It only takes being distracted for one second for an accident to occur.

Traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for teens and young adults. More than 5,000 young people die every year in car crashes and thousands more are injured. Drivers who are 16 years old are more than 20 times as likely to have a crash, as are other drivers. There are two main reasons why teens are at a higher for being in a car crash and lack of driving experience and their tendency to take risks while driving. Teens drive faster and do not control the car as well as more experienced drivers. Their judgment in traffic is often insufficient to avoid a crash. In addition, teens do most of their driving at night, which can be even more difficult. Standard driver's education classes include 30 hours of classroom teaching and 6 hours of behind-the-wheel training. This is not enough time to fully train a new driver. Teen drivers are more like to be influence by peers and other stresses and distractions. This can lead to reckless driving behaviors such as speeding, driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol, and not wearing safety belts. There is no safe amount that you can drink and still drive. Even one drink can influence your driving offences. “Nowadays, drunk driving has become driving while intoxicated, driving while impaired, driving while under the influence, operating while under the influence (impaired, intoxicated, or whatever), and in many

Third reason of accidents on the road is teenage drivers. “2,739 teenagers died in car accidents in the United States during 2008 ", (drivesteady.com). Some teenagers cause fatal accidents, because of immaturity and lack of experience. Teenagers are very impulsive. Although not intending to hurt anyone, they sometimes drive very aggressively. It is not difficult to find teenagers driving with one hand on the steering wheel, seat pushed back, and with loud music playing. In traffic they go wild, trying to seek attention. They underestimate the risk of what they are doing. All these acts result in serious consequences on the road. Many accidents of young drivers result from their own mistakes.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), defines distracted driving as “any activity that diverts a drivers attention from the road, including talking or texting on the phone, eating, drinking, talking to people in your vehicle, fiddling with the stereo, entertainment or navigation system, or anything that takes your attention away from the task of safe driving.” Cell phones have become the biggest distractions while driving especially for teenager/young adults. When young drivers get a text there is an immediate urge to look at it right then. No matter what the driving conditions are, pouring down rain or stuck in traffic young drivers feel that they have to look at that text immediately. According to the NHTSA texting causes the most distractions while driving. The NHTSA data says “sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for five seconds. At fifty-five mph, it is like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed.” The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety states that “adult’s drivers are by far the likeliest age group to admit to