The Problem Of Reckless Driving

“The risk of motor vehicle crashes is higher among 16 to 19 year olds than among any other age group.” (Teen Drivers: Fact Sheet 1) “The presence of teen passengers increases the crash risk of unsupervised teen drivers. The risk increases with the number of teen passengers.” (Teen Drivers: Fact Sheet 1) In the United States motor vehicle accidents are the number one cause death in teens. “In 2010, seven teens ages 16 to 19 died every day from motor vehicle injuries.” (Teen Drivers: Fact Sheet 2) This alarming number of casualties could be prevented by educating our teenage drivers prior to them being on their own and operating a couple ton weighing

Death among U.S. teens is led by vehicle crashes. In the year of 2013, around 2,163 teens were killed between the ages of 16-10 in the United States. Around 243,243 were treated in emergency departments for injuries that they suffered in motor vehicle accidents. Around 75% of teen drivers suffer in these accidents due to 3 major mistakes. Those major mistakes include a lack of scanning the road, distractions in the vehicle, and also going to fast for the conditions of the road.

All 50 states prohibit 16-year-olds from drinking alcohol, buying cigarettes, and purchasing handguns. Yet somehow, most states are willing to put them in charge of a car. Teens don’t realize how dangerous driving can be; they believe nothing could ever happen to them. In reality, facts show that driving is the number one killer of teens. At 16 or 17, you may feel invincible, but with a lack of driving experience and distractions such as cell phones, music, food, and even friends, driving can be a dangerous activity. The problem is that teens don’t see certain actions as a life threatening risk. In a recent study, only 28 percent said using a cell phone is a risk while driving, ten percent said the same about having other teens in the car,

Every 51 minutes in America, someone is killed in a drunk driving crash. A dangerous issue facing society today is the problem of teen drinking and driving. Currently an approximate of 10,076 people die in drunk driving crashes per year. If positive progress to ceasing this act does not happen, teens will continue to drink and drive putting everybody on the road at risk. Teens who drink and drive put everyone on the road at risk, causing serious crashes that could be preventable.

In 2013, more than 2,500 teenagers died in the United States from motor vehicle crash injuries. Such injuries are by far the leading public health problem for young people 13-19 years old (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety [IIHS], 2014). Drivers are not the only ones at risk. Teenagers who are passengers in others vehicles make up a startling 87% of the fatality statistic. Lack of driving experience, disregard for traffic laws, and quick access to full driving privileges contribute to teen death. To reduce teen driving fatalities, successful completion of driver education classes provided by public and private schools should be mandatory for all teenagers prior to receiving their driving permit.

Although distracted driving is a problem for all drivers, it specifically is a major problem for teenagers. Traffic accidents are the leading cause of death for American teens. When it comes to distracted driving, young people are the most likely to text and talk behind the wheel ("Distracted Driving Facts"). In Idaho between the years of 2010 and 2014, the age group 15-19 experienced the most crashes, with the age group 20-24 coming second. Teenagers also contributed to 10% of fatal car crashes and a little over 15% of serious injury car crashes ("Distracted Crash

Dangerous driving habits result in the death of thousands of people each year; however, by taking steps to educate young drivers on dangerous habits behind the wheel; countless lives could be saved.

Throughout the year of 2011, about 2,650 teens in the United States between the age of sixteen and nineteen were killed and almost 292,000 were treated in emergency departments for injuries involved with motor-vehicle accidents (“Teen Drivers: Get the Facts” par. 2). Basically, seven teens die every day from motor-vehicle injuries. The risks of these accidents are becoming higher each year among the teen age group. Research has shown, teens in the United States between sixteen and nineteen have a fatality rate four times higher than adults twenty five to twenty nine (Cole, Wendy). Teens are more likely to underestimate dangerous situations or not even recognize a hazardous situation. Distractions of cell phones, impaired driving due to alcohol, and lack of experience due to brain development contribute to motor- vehicle accidents caused from teen drivers.

Last night, just one day before my second son’s seventeenth birthday and merely two days after empowering him with the privilege of a driver’s license, this parent’s worst nightmare nearly became a reality for my family. Nearly six years prior, our oldest son at the same age of seventeen, miraculously missed a brush with death created by a similar reckless accident. Both events triggered by their own careless driving. Reflecting back on these events provokes question on whether the legal driving age of sixteen is reasonably appropriate. Recent statistics from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention show that in 2013, two thousand one hundred and sixty three teenagers in the United States between the ages of sixteen and nineteen were killed in vehicle crashes.1 Within these same statistics, over two hundred forty three thousand teenagers were treated in emergency rooms suffering injuries from motor vehicle crashes.1 Legislation should be put in place to reduce these risks of unnecessary fatalities. The legal age of driving should be increased to the minimum age of eighteen in the United States to help reduce these

Teen driving is unsafe and dangerous, teen driving is the leading cause of teenage deaths in the United States with more than 5,000 teens dying a year. 17 year old Weston Griggs, killed himself and the 2 passengers he had in his car. But, this accident was no accident. Weston was going 70 mph in a 40 mph speed zone. The issue in this story is that young drivers like Weston, inexperienced and full of adrenaline are just hurting them selves and others by getting behind the wheel at such a young age. Teens between the ages 15 through 17 do not belong on the road. Outrageous amounts of teens are dying every year and these numbers are not changing, so why keep them on the road? Teen driving in the United States have three main problems

Distractions arise with every activity that is done day to day. Both texting and drinking while driving is a major distraction that can put a life at risk. When intoxicated behind the wheel, someone will become incompetent to drive properly. There were 1,665 crashes and 937 crash injuries related to alcohol in Iowa during 2015. Iowa lost 93 lives due to drunk driving in 2015 (MADD). Texting and driving is as equally distracting as drinking while driving. Neglecting the road starts as soon as someone reaches for their phone. In Iowa 2014, there were 771 crashes and 330 injuries related to texting and driving. The state of Iowa blamed six deaths on texting and driving in 2014 (Iowa).

Have you ever wondered what's one of cause of death or teens? Land transport accident is one of the five leading causes of death for teens aged 16-19. Teens today make up 13% of the population, but 14% of that 13% is at risk of suffering a car crash that has resulted in death or injuries. With all the research from teen driving organizations people have gathered on this topic, teens should have a stricter limit on driving by increasing the age limit and reinforcing rules.

Did you know that every three seconds an accident occurs? Did you also know that little over half of the accidents that occur involves a teenager. But do you know why teenagers are more likely to be involved in an accident that other age groups? It is because teenagers are inexperienced drivers. They tend to drive faster than the other drivers. They think that they are invincible which means they feel like they can do anything without any consequences. The one thing that does not cross their mind until it is too late is that how would you feel if you were driving with your best friend not knowing this would be the last time you ever spoke to them. You think it would be fun to take a sharp turn to try to scare them. But all the sudden you lose

Nationwide, there has been millions of drivers getting their license every year. Injuries and fatalities have been one of the number one causes of death at some ages, but “The study, published Wednesday in The Journal of the American Medical Association, found that since the first graduated driver programs were instituted, there have been 1,348 fewer deadly crashes involving 16-year-old drivers,” (Anahad O’Connor, Teenage Driving Laws, 28-31). Younger drivers have at times been the main culprit of trouble on

Traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for teens and young adults. More than 5,000 young people die every year in car crashes and thousands more are injured. Drivers who are 16 years old are more than 20 times as likely to have a crash, as are other drivers. There are two main reasons why teens are at a higher for being in a car crash and lack of driving experience and their tendency to take risks while driving. Teens drive faster and do not control the car as well as more experienced drivers. Their judgment in traffic is often insufficient to avoid a crash. In addition, teens do most of their driving at night, which can be even more difficult. Standard driver's education classes include 30 hours of classroom teaching and 6 hours of behind-the-wheel training. This is not enough time to fully train a new driver. Teen drivers are more like to be influence by peers and other stresses and distractions. This can lead to reckless driving behaviors such as speeding, driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol, and not wearing safety belts. There is no safe amount that you can drink and still drive. Even one drink can influence your driving offences. “Nowadays, drunk driving has become driving while intoxicated, driving while impaired, driving while under the influence, operating while under the influence (impaired, intoxicated, or whatever), and in many