What Can We Do To Protect Teen Drivers?
Did you know that motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens, accounting for more than one in three deaths in this age group? In 2005, twelve teens ages 16 to 19 died every day from motor vehicle injuries.
How big is the problem, and what are the costs?
Did you know that in the United States during 2005, 4,544 teens ages 16 to 19 died of injuries caused by motor vehicle crashes. In the same year, nearly 400,000 motor vehicle occupants in this age group sustained nonfatal injuries that required treatment in an emergency department.1 Overall, in 2005, teenagers accounted for 10 percent of the U.S. population and 12 percent of motor vehicle crash deaths.2
Did you know that young people ages 15-24 represent only 14% of the U.S. population. However, they account for 30% ($19 billion) of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries among males and 28% ($7 billion) of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries among females.
What Are the Major Risk Factors?
Teens are more likely than older drivers to underestimate dangerous situations or not be able to recognize hazardous situations.
Teens are more likely than older drivers to speed and allow shorter headways (the distance from the front of one vehicle to the front of the next). The presence of male teenage passengers increases the likelihood of this risky driving behavior.
Among male drivers between 15 and 20 years of age who were involved in fatal crashes in 2005, 38% were speeding at the time of the crash and 24% had been drinking.
Compared with other age groups, teens have the lowest rate of seat belt use. In 2005, 10% of high school students reported they rarely or never wear seat belts when riding with someone else.9 In a national survey of seat belt use among high school students:
Male high school students (12.5%) were more likely than female students (7.8%) to rarely or never wear seat belts.
African-American students (13.4%) and Hispanic students (10.6%) were more likely than white students (9.4%) to rarely or never wear seat belts.
At all levels of blood alcohol concentration (BAC), the risk of involvement in a motor vehicle crash is greater for teens than for older drivers.
In 2005, 23% of drivers ages 15 to 20 who died in motor vehicle crashes had a BAC of 0.08 g/dl or higher.8
In a national survey conducted in 2005, nearly three out of ten teens reported that, within the previous month, they had ridden with a driver who had been drinking alcohol. One in ten reported having driven after drinking alcohol within the same one-month period.
In 2005, three out of four teen drivers killed in motor vehicle crashes after drinking and driving were not wearing a seat belt.
In 2005, half of teen deaths from motor vehicle crashes occurred between 3 p.m. and midnight and 54% occurred on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.
How can motor vehicle injuries be prevented?
1. Require your teen to observe curfews. This is going to be one of your biggest challenges. However, it may be a life saver – 53 percent of all teenage motor vehicle deaths occur on Friday, Saturday and Sunday; 43 percent of these accidents occur between 9 o’clock p.m. and 6 o’clock a.m.
2. Watch your own habits and see what kind of example you set when behind the wheel.
3. Discuss what’s happening in the driver training course. Review text material with your student to reinforce learning and to refresh your memory. Being involved shows you care about what he or she is learning and you take it seriously.
4. After your young driver has earned the learner’s permit, take frequent practice drives. If you’re patient and attentive, your teenager will gain experience and confidence, ask questions and learn from mistakes under your supervision. Continue supervised drives in all kinds of weather and traffic conditions.
5. Installing a GPS Tracking device will also help you on locating your young driver. You will find out how fast they are going, where they have been all night, you can turn the car on/off at any time with out being in the car.
Transforming a teen to a more careful driver with the help of a little black box isn’t cheap. Or is it? When vehicle insurance premiums go up they stay up till your teen is 25 years old!
Mixed Emotions
(written by R. Johnson)
I have mixed emotions about spying on your child. On one hand you have to convey your trust. On the other hand you want peace of mind and knowledge conveys this peace of mind. I do believe, with a tracking device in his car, that my son may not have been speeding on the way home from band practice one night when he ran off the road. Luckily, he was ok, except for his pride, however the car was not.
Getting a GPS Tracking device will help protect your young driver and family, and even elderly people. You will also get insurance dicounts so ask your auto insurance agent for more details.
If you have questions regarding what the right GPS system for you and your family please email me at info@meridianconsumerservices.com
Charles Butler
MCS
