Most of us probably remember being a teen and counting the days until we could get a driver’s license. No more being hauled around by Mom. No more waiting to be picked up. Finally being able to cruise around with friends. Freedom!
There’s a big downside to allowing teens to drive. It’s certainly true that many teens are very responsible and careful drivers. However, the sad truth is that many teens should not be allowed behind the wheel. Paradoxically, the law assumes that teens are not mature enough to drink or vote, but then says that these same young people are mature enough to control a ton or two of steel on a busy highway and make critical decisions in life-threatening situations.
The statistics bear this out. The leading cause of death for teens is car crashes. This is true for both men and women aged 16-19. This age group also leads in traffic violations. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that 16-year-olds are involved in crashes with injuries or fatalities 3.7 times more often than all other drivers. All teen drivers (16 to 19-year-olds) have a 2.7 times higher crash rate than older drivers.
It isn’t difficult to understand why this is true. The leading cause of traffic accidents is a distracted driver. One of the primary distractions is a cell phone. When you include inexperience and a sense of invulnerability, you have an accident waiting to happen. Other risk factors for teens are alcohol and drugs, not wearing seat belts, distractions caused by talking to passengers, driving at night and not being as aware of hazardous situations.
In the end, it comes down to knowing your kid. If they are not mature enough to drive, do not permit them to get a license until they are older. This is not an easy thing to do, but may save not only their lives, but the lives of others.
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