If you recently started driving as a teen or your child is in this position, recognizing traffic accident risk factors is paramount. Sadly, many young drivers find themselves seriously hurt and killed in motor vehicle collisions. When teens first begin to drive, they can face an especially high chance of becoming involved in a collision for multiple reasons.
By going over these hazards, you can reduce the likelihood of a crash turning your life upside down.
Inexperience, distractions and other accident risks
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention covered traffic collisions involving teens and passengers in their vehicles. The CDC states that as a result of inexperience, teens have a higher chance of making mistakes behind the wheel and failing to identify hazardous scenarios.
Furthermore, the CDC says that distracted driving (such as sending texts behind the wheel) is particularly prevalent among young drivers. Driving at night, becoming distracted by other passengers in the vehicle, driving too fast and driving while under the influence are other major concerns with respect to traffic collisions involving teens.
Data on teens and traffic crashes
During 2020, roughly 227,000 teens between 13 and 19 sustained injuries in traffic collisions, and about 2,800 lost their lives. On a daily basis, traffic accidents left hundreds of teens hurt and roughly eight dead throughout 2020.
Sadly, teens also become injured and killed in collisions because of reckless drivers. If you or your teen sustained an injury in a crash because of a drunk driver, someone who ignored the speed limit or failed to respect other traffic safety guidelines, explore your options immediately.