Teen Driver Safety
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for 15 to 20 year olds. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2008 there were 6,428 fatalities in traffic crashes involving 15-20 year old drivers, including 1,032 (or 16%) alcohol-impaired traffic fatalities. Alcohol is just one of the many factors that contribute to fatal traffic crashes. In fact, distracted driving is major contributor to car crashes, especially among young drivers. Drivers under 20 years of age represent the largest proportion of distracted drivers on the road and 16% of all fatal crashes involving these young drivers were reported to have been driving while distracted according NHTSA.
First observed in 2007, National Teen Driver Safety Week aims to bring teens, parents, educators, legislators, and other community leaders together to help prevent teen crashes, injuries, and fatalities.
There are several important factors that play a significant role in the incidence of teens involved in vehicle crashes. First, the leading cause of teen driver crashes is driver error or speeding. Better education is needed to inform students of the severity of a vehicle crash and the very real consequences to themselves, their passengers, and the general public of operating a vehicle in an unsafe manner.
Second, the younger the driver the more likely they are to be involved in a fatal crash. Statistics provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) show that sixteen-year-old drivers are more than twice as likely to be involved in fatal crashes as older drivers. By increasing the teen driver's supervised driving experience we can delay exposure to risky driving conditions until they have had a substantial level of supervision, rather than simply sending them out on their own.
Additionally, a variety of distractions – cell phones, food/beverage consumption, loud music, etc. – make it increasingly difficult for the driver to focus their attention on operating their vehicle in a safe manner. A recent NHTSA study showed that driver distraction contributes to about 25 percent of all police-reported traffic crashes. It is important to reinforce the idea that once a vehicle is in motion, the driver must devote his or her full attention to the task at hand–operating their vehicle safely.
As part of our involvement with teen driver safety, The Century Council has produced an interactive initiative called The Concentration Game which mimics distractions a driver may face. We encourage you to play the initiative and embed it on your website. Additionally, if you are a motor vehicle administrator or professional driving instructor and would like to download a poster to display in your place of business as a reminder to not drive distracted, please click here.
By encouraging teens to adopt safe driving habits, managing peer-to-peer interactions while in a vehicle, and reinforcing the need to detect and react to hazards more appropriately, teens will be better prepared to drive responsibly, and our roads will be much safer.