New Statistics on Teenage Driving

Cue the dramatic music……..The teenage years have arrived.

If you have a teenage son or daughter you completely understand the trials and tribulations they go through on a daily basis. You also know the hunger for complete independence is on the forefront of their minds. Thus, this can be an especially challenging age as you want to protect them, but you also want them to learn from their mistakes.

One of those mistakes you don’t want your child to ever endure is one of a car accident. However, according to the AAA foundation, distracted driving has played a much more significant role in vehicle crashes involving teenagers than previously understood.

The AAA foundation performed a significant analysis of over 1,600 moderate-to-severe motor vehicle accidents between 2007 and 2013 involving drivers between the ages of 16-19. It was determined that in 58 percent (58%) of those incidents, the drivers were observed engaged in “some other form of non-driving related behavior.” This included talking on a cellphone in the six (6) seconds leading up to an accident.

This information strictly goes against what was previously reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The NHTSA originally estimated that only 14 percent (14%) of crashes involving teenagers were due to being distracted. Clearly and unfortunately this was underestimated!

While the teenage years are meant for drama---the dramatic and traumatic event of a car accident is not one any parent or child should go through. Speak to your teens about distracted driving and how to be a responsible driver and passenger!

For more information on this article, contact Kaine Law.