Teenagers face a degree of social stigma based solely on their age. Teen drivers often face judgment from people they know and even total strangers.
Young drivers have a bad reputation in part because they sometimes cause very serious but preventable motor vehicle collisions. Parents getting ready to help their teenagers secure their licenses and first vehicles need to ensure that their new drivers understand the risks of the road.
What specific issues contribute to the likelihood of a teen driver causing a crash?
1. Inexperience
Federal safety experts acknowledge that inexperience is often the most significant contributing factor to teenage collision risk. Young drivers with limited time on the road do not have practice addressing high-stress situations. Their lack of experience can lead to mistakes that cause crashes that older drivers could have avoided.
2. Distraction
Teenagers have grown up using mobile phones and similar technology. As such, they have a very hard time disconnecting from their devices. Digital distraction can drastically increase crash risk. The presence of teenage passengers in the vehicle can also create distractions that prevent drivers from focusing.
3. Mind-altering substances
Teenagers often learn by making mistakes and experimenting. They may try drugs or alcohol even though doing so is against the law. Sometimes, they make the disastrous decision to drive after drinking at a party or trying drugs with their friends.
4. Excessive speed
Speeding is an issue for drivers of all ages. However, teenagers can be very impulsive and may drive at highly unsafe speeds. Additionally, their inexperience makes it more difficult for them to properly respond to changing traffic conditions while they travel at high speeds.
5. Nighttime driving
Many of the worst teenage collisions occur after the sun sets at night. Fatigue and difficulty monitoring road conditions combined to make nighttime especially dangerous for teenage drivers.
Parents may want to implement a variety of safety rules that help their young adults avoid collisions. They also need to be ready to advocate for their teen drivers if a crash occurs.
Holding an at-fault driver responsible for a car crash can be more challenging when the party not at fault was a teen. Parents may need to support team drivers by assisting them with insurance claims and even retaining legal assistance if a lawsuit is necessary after a wreck.
