A lot of veteran drivers (and non-drivers) cringe at the thought of a teenager behind the wheel of a motor vehicle. Inexperience coupled with driving distractions make for a deadly combination, but emotions play an equally dangerous part in contributing to teen driving accidents. Peer pressure from teenage passengers compounds driver problems, as well.
Teens may have faster reflexes than many adult drivers on the road, but a lack of skill puts this young age group at high risk. It takes a conscious effort to drive defensively, and many teens simply do not comprehend the focus required to keep a motor vehicle under control. Teens often give in to emotion, further distorting the perception of danger. Listed below are just a few rules that inattentive drivers often overlook.
Driving Violations often Committed by Teenage Drivers
- Not wearing Safety Belts
- Weaving in and out of traffic
- Driving faster than the flow of traffic
- Passing excessively
- Driving on an open road at excessive speed
- Not coming to a full stop at stop signs
- Failing to yield the right of way
- Passing on the right
- Driving fast at night
- Tailgating
- Driving under the influence
The National Safety Council's Web page, Air Bag and Seat Belt Safety Campaign, features the article, "Click It or Ticket Mobilization" (2005). The article states, "One of the most important, immediate actions we can take as a nation to protect children and adults in motor vehicles is high-visibility enforcement of seat belt and child passenger safety laws."
Acts that Draw Attention to Inexperienced Drivers
Traffic officers can easily spot potential traffic offenders, and teen motor vehicle operators automatically come under suspicion simply because of age. Given here is a small sample of violations that can lead to a traffic ticket.
- Jackrabbit starts
- Creeping forward at a traffic light that's about to change
- Speeding up to get through a traffic light before it turns red
- Not using turn signals
- Hard stops
Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh's Web site, in the article, "Teenage Drivers" (2008), offers these statistics: "... teen drivers ... are involved in 12 percent of fatal motor vehicle-related crashes. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), a 16-year-old driver is more than 20 times as likely to have a motor vehicle crash than any other licensed driver." It just does not pay to take a chance when behind the wheel of a car or any other vehicle. One bad choice can result in death or permanent injury.
Alcohol and Other Causes of Teen Car Crashes
The leading cause of death among teens 16 to 20 years old is motor vehicle crashes. Underage drinking claims thousands of young lives every year. Many other motor vehicle-related tragedies could have been prevented had the driver been paying closer attention to the driving environment. The summer months are especially dangerous for teenage drivers due to the escalated number of young drivers on the road. Teens drivers unaccustomed to driving at night create yet another cause for concern.
One death caused by a careless driver is one too many. Teenagers operating motor vehicles are too inexperienced to understand the potential dangers of one bad decision or the irreparable damage that can result in just a single moment of inattention. Seemingly harmless acts such as rolling through a stop sign, or following too close because one is in a hurry, often end in tragedy.
Organizations such as the National Safety Council work to promote better driving habits through defensive driving courses and field programs to enforce seat belt laws and sobriety testing. Drivers are responsible for paying close attention to traffic laws and obeying road rules one hundred percent of the time. There is no margin for error when driving, and most times there is no second chance.
Mary King - Mary King is a Suite101 Topic Editor for the Caregiver Support and Home Management sections. She has authored 5 teen-based novels.
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