Why are teenage drivers at higher risk?
There are two main reasons why teenage drivers are at increased risk for motor vehicle-related crashes that result in injury or death, including the following: • lack of driving experience Lack of experience means the teenage driver is less able to detect and respond to traffic hazards, less in control of his/her vehicle, and less able to integrate speed. • risk behavior of teenagers Teenagers tend to take more risks as they are influenced by their emotions, stress, and peer pressure. In addition, experimenting with alcohol and recreational drugs can impair the teenager’s driving ability. Also, teenage drivers tend to not use their seat belts, increasing their risk of injury in a crash. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), less than one-fourth of high school students say they always wear their seat belts when another person is driving. Another contributing factor to the increased risk to teenager drivers includes nighttime driving. Nighttime driving is more difficult
