It’s a sad fact of life that the greatest threat to our teen youth is the car. Of the different age groups, teens have the highest accident rate. It’s why insurance companies charge this age group such high premiums. According to the insurance institute for highway safety, teens are four times more likely to get into a car accident than older drivers. Here are four reasons for this statistic:
Inexperience
It takes more than a few driver education courses and road lessons to master driving. Mastery at anything requires thousands of hours of practice. Adult drivers have experienced a wide variety of road situations including adverse weather conditions. Their years of experience means they have good reflexes, good instincts, and can anticipate and manage dangerous situations.
Impulsive Risk Taking
There are two parts of the brain that exert great influence on decision making. One part triggers the “go ahead” impulse that initiates an action while another part of the brain exercises restraint against taking action. Until the teen reaches their middle twenties, the part of the brain that restrains action is not fully developed. This brain area is sometimes referred to as the “executive suite.” It regulates emotion, prioritizes, evaluates, and plans ahead. It is where the sound judgement that tempers action takes place.
Overcrowding
A car packed full of teens is a common and dangerous phenomenon. The extra passengers both distract and cause the driver to ride more aggressively. The presence of two or more peers in a car with a teen driver, more than doubles the risk of a fatal accident.
Distracted Driving
In addition to low tech forms of distraction such as eating, today’s teens also have mobile devices for making phone calls and texting. The proliferation of mobile apps have added to this problem.
If you or a loved one were involved in a car accident and have not been fairly compensated, contact us for a free consultation.