It’s a scary and exhilarating feeling when your teenage child, niece, or nephew receives their driver’s license. As parents, grandparents, or guardians, we all want to do what we can to keep our teenagers safe when they’re on the road.
The objective of this blog post is to help educate both teens and their parent/guardian on the most common causes of vehicle accidents according to statistics from both the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NTSA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as shared to us by a car accident lawyer.
Who Is A Teenager According To The Law?
Although we all know that 13 to 19 encompasses the “teen years,” the most recent studies of this nature determined a “teen driver” to be between 15 and 20 years of age. The studies also include teen drivers who only had a permit or a driver’s license.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), one of the major concerns about a teen behind the wheel is inexperience behind the wheel. While the only way to go from inexperienced to experienced is, of course, getting behind the wheel. Yet, aside from inexperience, what types of vehicle accidents are the most common when a teen is behind the wheel?
Causes Of Teen Vehicle Accidents
Drowsy driving and/or falling asleep behind the wheel is one of the most common causes of teen accidents. The most common time this type of accident occurs with a teen behind the wheel is midnight to six in the morning. Late afternoon is another prime time for drowsy driving. This type of accident most often takes place on rural roads and the highway, according to statistics. This can be from teens pulling all-nighters to hang out with friends or stay up late to study for a final exam.
Unfortunately, drunk driving has increased more than 50% in the last thirty years. Teenagers between 16 and 20 years old are 17 times more likely to die during a drunk driving incident. In the same respect, drugged driving by teenagers counts as 1 out of every 8 high schoolers reported driving while under the influence at least once during the previous month.
Distracted driving has become almost synonymous with texting-and-driving. Yet, what distracted driving constitutes is any action that takes your attention from the road. According to studies, 1 in 3 teen drivers confessed to texting while driving. Teenagers who are on their phones face a 26% greater risk of an accident than their counterparts who do not use their phone while they are driving. They might not just text, either — as shared by our friends at Herschensohn Law Firm, PLLC, your teens might even be scrolling through social media while driving.
Finally, there’s speeding. More than one-third of accidents involving a teenager die because they were speeding. From 2000 to 2011, a study showed that around 19,000 car accidents occurred while speeding. The same study found that as young drivers increase their competence and confidence behind the wheel, they begin to drive faster, regardless of weather conditions.
If your teen gets into an accident, contact a lawyer near you for help.