The Risks Of Teen Driving

Teenagers are more likely to speed than older drivers because people have less developed brains at the ages of 16 or 17 than at 21 or 22. As a result, one in four teenagers are aggressive drivers and almost twenty percent of teenagers admit that they enjoy speeding, as stated in the New York Times. Drunk driving is a recent problem even among adults. Although drinking and driving is illegal, and drinking under the age of twenty one is illegal, twenty-five percent of all fatal car crashes caused by teens involve an underage drunk driver. Teenagers also have the lowest rate of seat belt use, and seat belts are the most effective way of reducing accidents. In addition, texting while driving is the number one cause of car accidents among teenagers due to the development of social media. This causes teens to drive while looking down at their phones, which can eventually put them in the hospital. Therefore, raising the driving age to 21 will prevent teens from dying due to car accidents-- the number one cause of teen deaths in 2013, according to the CDC Injury

Many teens, so-called “younger generation”, seem too connected to their phones and have begun to text and drive. According to Sherry Turkle, “Roman, eighteen, admits that he texts while driving and he is not going to stop. ‘I know I should, but it is not going to happen. If I get a Facebook message or something posted on my wall, I have to see it. I have to” (Turkle 429). Even though teens know that they are doing something wrong, they still do it because they think nothing will happen. Just because we have not experienced accidents, does not mean it will not happen. Just think of all the people who have said the same thing. They think accidents are a world away from their own reality. No one seems to think about what can happen to other people as well as themselves. Everyone should think of others because just a little glance on your

An extreme number of research and data have pointed out that teens are not equipped with safe driving skills. These numbers have lead to countless arguments between teens and adults. All though teens are more interested in their phone then a car they still have a desire to get onto the road. The car offers an immense amount of self conscious and maturity to a teen. This is one of the main points as to why teens are so eager to get out on the road as soon as possible. If and when they do get on the road they look right past the consequences that may occur with driving at such a young age. Without a doubt teenage drivers are very inexperienced when it comes to their first trips on the road because the only prior training they can get is practice

Plenty of people are losing their daughters, sons, or other family members because of either distracted driving or drinking and driving. Both are a big issue. Not only are people getting hurt, but parents also suffer when their children get into an accident. People do not think about the people they are hurting because of their actions. People need to take care and drive safely each time they are behind the wheel. Five seconds is the average time someone’s eyes are off the road while they are texting (“Facts and Statistics”). The majority of teens respond to a text message at least once or more every time they drive. Teens have the tendency of responding to a text message when they are driving or even when they are on their social media. Cell phone use while driving might be as or more dangerous than driving under the influence of

Shari Roan in “Should the driving age be raised” talks about the controversial issue all American families face when it comes to teens driving and the safety of others. She states that in a nationwide analysis the number of fatal crashes between the ages 16 and 17 year old drivers have fallen and the number of fatal crashes between the ages of 18 and 19 year old drivers have risen by almost the same amount. She states that the combination of immaturity and inexperience makes teen drivers particularly vulnerable to motor vehicle accidents. She also explains that car crashes are the leading cause of death among teens resulting in 4,054 fatalities in 2008 according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in Arlington Va.

These studies are not limited to only teens, but also include adults as well. Distracted driving is not an age specific problem. This problem can range from teens to senior citizens. Adults are just as likely as teens to have texted while driving and are significantly more likely to have talked on the phone while driving. The re¬sults in this report are based on data from telephone interviews conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International between April 29 and May 30, 2010, among a sample of 2,252 adults, age eighteen and older. “Nearly half (47%) of all texting adults say they have sent or read a text message while driving” (Madden). Many cellphone owners take advantage of the technology by performing several kinds of tasks in many types of places, including in the car and while walking. Two places where attention should be paid to the fullest. Madden also explains, “That compares to one in three (34%) texting teens ages 16-17 who said they had texted while driving in a September 2009 survey.” This is rather alarming when a person considers how cars have changed throughout the years in number, speed, size, and the age of the operators. The driving age varies from state to state, but the average is fifteen and six months for driver training to begin. This seems quite young to be given this responsibly without the need for in-depth training covering

After watching the video "Young Driver: The High Risk Years" Video, my view on driving has really changed. The reason teens take risks is because they think they are better drivers than they really are. Teens think they're invincible and that all that crashes you hear about would never happen to them. Teens also take risks because they overestimate their driving skills and they want to act "cool" and disobey the rules in front of their friends. Another reason that teenagers take risks when first driving is they were always so careful and fol the rules when their parents were with them, but now they feel they have complete freedom to do what they want so they feel that the rules don't apply to them and that will raise the risks.

391,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers in 2015.” TeenSafe also said that “teen drivers from ages 15 to 19 are in the age group most at risk to be involved in distracted driving accidents. Nine percent of these teens are involved in distracted driving fatalities.” With driving being a new experience to teens, not only to they face the risk crashing due to lack of time on the road but introducing a cell phone while in a car increases their risk of crashing by 400%. Many teens become a new mode of transportation for their friends who are unable to drive or don’t have a car. Though teens are most at risk, adults drive distracted as

Almost half of all adults (forty-seven percent) admit to texting and driving in a survey by AT&T. Only thirty-four percent of teenagers ages sixteen to seventeen say they have texted while driving. This is a thirteen percent difference between adults and teens. Also, when it comes to talking on the phone while driving, adults do that more than teens too. Seventy-five percent of adults have talked on the phone while driving and fifty-two percent of teenagers have talked on the phone while driving. This is a twenty-three percent difference. (Madden, Mary, and Lee Rainie). Ninety-eight percent of adults know that distracted driving is not safe, but the trend is still on the rise. (Tsukayama, Hayley).

Car crashes are the leading cause of death among teens, and using a phone significantly increases the risk of crashes in this age group. Texting while driving increases the risk of an accident by 23 times. In addition, these students are more likely to engage in additional risky vehicle behaviors. This suggests there is a subgroup of students who may place themselves, their passengers, and others on the road at elevated risk for a crash-related injury or fatality by engaging in multiple risky vehicle behaviors.In a survey people were asked, “During the past 30 days, on how many days did you text or email while driving a car or other vehicle?” Survey results showed that males were more likely to text while driving than females 46% vs. 40% (Kemp,

Multiple studies and surveys show how deadly a vehicle can be when the driver is a teen. Teenagers are given a responsibility at the age of sixteen that they are simply not ready for. They lack the ability to stay focused on the road, and often times get distracted by cell phones or other objects inside the car that more experienced drivers know to avoid. Fortunately, the negative impact that teen driving presents can be altogether halted. Teens can find alternative ways of transit such as buses or asking family members for a ride. Mandatory driving programs can be implemented which focus on helping teens prove they can be responsible, trustworthy drivers. Most importantly, the legal driving age can be adjusted to twenty one to ensure all drivers retain the right knowledge for safe

Teenagers dream of the day when they will receive their license and take a step closer to independence and gaining freedom from their parents. It is the rite of passage that many fifteen-year old yearn for. We count the days to our 16th birthday, waiting to make a trip to the Department of Motor Vehicles to receive our permit. It is exciting, exhilarating and just the mere thought of racing down the country roads make our spine tingle...Freedom! We all remember those months leading up to getting our permits but in those first days behind the wheel do we think about the number of deaths and accidents that occur due to teen driving? The number of families destroyed, futures cut short all because that excitement we feel takes us over and

Teens tend to be safer drivers then their middle-aged counter parts. The number of 15-20-year-old drivers in 2008 in single-vehicle crashes made up 14%, multi-vehicle was 10.4%, and 15-20year old drivers made up 11.9% of all fatal crashes; while the more middle aged 25-34year old drivers consisted of 20.9% for single vehicle crashes, 19% of all multi-vehicle crashes, and 19.8% of all fatal crashes, immensely higher stats then the teen drivers. This shows that teens are by far safer drivers then the middle aged, mature, adults.

Teen drivers have the mentality were they are untouchable when behind the wheel. But it’s obviously to much to handle for them because when it comes to the facts to many teens die a year. In 2007, 4,200 teens in the U.S aged from 15-17 were killed and 400,000 were treated in the E.R for injuries because of car accidents (“Motor vehicle safety, Teen Drivers, page 1”). This just shows how irresponsible teens are while driving. In a national survey 12.5% of all high school students rarely wear seatbelts, this just asking too get hurt in case an accident happens (“Motor vehicle safety, Teen Drivers, page 1”). This just shows how teens have a bad mentality while driving. In 2005, 54% of teen deaths occurred between 3 p.m. and midnight on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. This statistic shows that one more reason why a teen would want there license is to get to a party or go

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