The smallest age group of drivers on the road consists of teenagers. Most people can’t drive until they are 16 anyway, so all of these drivers tend to fit into the group between 16 and 19 years old. They make up a small percentage of the drivers around you at any time.
That said, these drivers have the highest fatal accident rate of any age group. As such, they pose a disproportionate risk. There may not be many teens on the road, but the odds are much higher that one of them will cause a serious wreck.
Why does this happen?
There are two general ways to look at this. First, you can consider some of the mistakes that teenagers tend to make. These include:
- Aggressive driving
- Breaking the speed limit
- Texting and driving
- Talking to passengers
- Eating in the car
- Driving under the influence of alcohol
- Driving too fast for the conditions
These are just a few examples, but one thing to note is that teens are not the only ones to make these mistakes. Adult drivers also text and drive, for example.
The second area to examine is the role of inexperience. Many teenagers make mistakes behind the wheel because they lack experience and are still developing their skills. A teenager may not even realize they’re driving too fast for the conditions, for example, or they may not understand the ramifications of excessively breaking the speed limit. It just takes time for them to learn how to drive safely—but many of them are going to cause accidents as they learn.
Seeking compensation
Have you lost a loved one in an accident caused by a teen driver, or have you suffered serious injuries? If so, take the time to carefully explore all of your options for seeking financial compensation.