Teen Driving Facts And Statistics

Teen driver safety is a crucial topic by which all drivers get affected and is an important topic to discuss. Most deadly car accidents are the second-leading cause of death for teenagers. Teenagers between the ages of 15 and 20 make up the majority of nearly 7.8% of motor vehicle fatalities (NHTSA). Teenagers lack driving knowledge, experience, and the capacity to reason clearly, which leads to rage driving and a propensity to overestimate their abilities to handle hazardous situations, which increases the chance of teen automobile accidents.

Apart from these reasons, other causes lead to frequent car crashes in teens, for instance, distracted driving, alcohol consumption, impaired driving, and the sheer irresponsibility of not understanding the importance of seatbelt usage. 

Parents and elders should make time to discuss with their children the importance of responsible driving and talk about all the factors to make them understand the impact of their actions. It is crucial to keep these young teen drivers as safe as possible. It is equally important to make them aware of the potential dangers and impact of irrational driving. 

Safe driving practices will keep teen drivers safe but installing a portable GPS tracker will also keep their parents informed about their whereabouts. 

Teen Driving Facts and Statistics 

• Teen drivers, particularly those between the ages of fifteen and twenty, make up roughly 4% of the total number of drivers.
• According to IIHS, teenagers between the ages of 16 and 17 are more likely to be involved in fatal car accidents than adults aged 20 and older. Teenagers between the age of 16 and 19 are three times more likely to be in fatal car crashes per mile than drivers 20 and older, placing those students at risk. (IIHS)
• During the summertime, especially during May, June, and July, the risk of fatal car crashes among teens becomes very common. The following months are the times when most car accidents occur.
• Teenagers are four times more likely to be in fatal car accidents than people of other ages, making them more likely to be victims of fatal car accidents than people of different age groups.
• 1577 of the 2753 fatal car accidents in 2019 involved male drivers, accounting for almost 66 percent of all fatalities.
• Drinking and driving is the chief cause behind most car crashes, with teens being more likely to crash their vehicles after drinking alcohol

Common Causes of Teenage Car Crashes

Below are the common causes as to why teen drivers are more likely to indulge in irresponsible driving that ultimately leads to car crashes:

• Distracted driving: Drivers frequently become distracted when operating a vehicle, particularly teen drivers. Teenagers generally struggle to concentrate on one subject at a time, which causes them to encounter challenging circumstances. Drivers tend to get distracted while driving, resulting in fatal car crashes. Examples include texting or talking on a cell phone, playing games, taking pictures or videos, eating, drinking, smoking, applying makeup, or even listening to loud music. Teenage drivers between the ages of 15 and 19 tend to engage in distracted driving at a rate of about 9%.
• Texting and driving: Although mentioned in the preceding point, it is crucial to emphasize that texting and driving is a major contributing factor in most accidents, with 38% of youngsters admitting to doing so. Most states have laws against texting and driving because of this.
• Rage driving/overspeeding: As compared to other age groups, teenagers are more likely to drive recklessly and drive too close to the car in front of them. Listening to loud music and speeding has become common thing among teenagers, and due to this reason, they end up in fatal car crashes. Rage driving or reckless driving is another irresponsible activity seen among teen drivers because they tend to overestimate their driving skills. They either crash with an object or the vehicle in front of them, endangering both their own lives and those inside the car they hit. According to a report from 2019, 31 percent of male drivers and 17 percent of female drivers were victims of fatal car accidents because of their irresponsible activity, that is, overspeeding.
• Drunk driving: Alcohol consumption has become very common among teenagers, but what is more common is the fact that they purposely indulge in drinking and driving. Moreover, teen drivers have a higher chance of accidents due to alcohol consumption than other age groups. Alcohol also causes them to indulge in overspeeding and rage driving. Approximately 15 percent of fatal car crashes have happened among teen drivers between the ages of 15 and 19, due to alcohol consumption.
• Inexperience: Inexperience and lack of proper driving skills is another common factor among teen drivers, with the majority of them needing more confidence and maturity to handle certain driving situations. Newly licensed drivers have most crash rates (typically at age 16) and are not very experienced and reckless. For 16-year-olds compared to 18 and 19-year-olds, the crash rate per mile driven is 1.5 times higher. (IIHS). Thus we can see that inexperience is a chief cause behind fatal car crashes among teen drivers.
• Seat belts: Most people, especially teens do not understand the importance of using seat belts while driving. This sense of responsibility that teenagers lack is the reason behind dangerous accidents. In all fatal crashes reported in 2019, nearly half of the teen drivers between the ages of 16 and 19 were not wearing safety restraints (IIHS).
• Night-time driving: According to a report by CDC, night-time driving is dangerous not only among drivers but very risky among teen drivers, which could be due to distracted driving, limited visibility, alcohol consumption, tiredness, or impairment. According to a report from 2019, 40 percent of fatal car accidents among teen drivers aged between 13-19 occurred between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. (IIHS).

Teen Driving Safety Tips or Resources 

There might not be a solution to every problem, but there is a preventive measure for every adverse situation. Fortunately, these tips would help parents and guardians educate themselves and their teens on how to stay safe and prevent fatal accidents on the road.

Below are some tips and suggestions which would help you and your children to stay safe while driving:

• Download the CDC-free Parent-Teen Driving Agreement.
• Discuss the eight danger zones of driving with your teen driver. These can serve as a starting point for conversations on increased safety.
• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) prepared a Driver Distraction infographic as a resource for parents and educators to discuss the effects of and prevention of distracted driving.
• Establish clear rules and guidelines for your teen driver, such as seat belt use, avoiding phone usage, and limitations on when they can drive and how many others they can take along.
• Clarify your teen that they cannot and should not drive after drinking or using drugs.
• Learn appropriate distracted driving laws for your state and the graduated licensing rules for drivers.
• Talk to your kid frequently about the dangers, observable behaviors, guidelines, responsibilities, and obligations associated with driving. To teach children how to drive more safely, try to accompany them in their initial days of driving.
• Set a good example for your teen driver by prioritizing driving safely. Driving responsibly and abiding by all traffic laws in your state can help your child learn to drive safely and responsibly.
• It would be a responsible decision to install a tracking app on your teen’s phone or a portable GPS tracker in their vehicle to keep an eye on their driving and their whereabouts. You could also sign up for a vehicle insurance telematics program that monitors driving behaviors (and could save you money on your premium).

Benefits Of Installing a Portable GPS Tracker in Your Teen’s Vehicle

Installing a portable GPS tracker in your teen’s vehicle would help you keep an eye on them when they are away from you. It would ensure a safer driving experience. You would be comparatively relieved whenever your teen goes out for a drive. 

1. Tracking the vehicle and the driver: A vehicle tracking system keeps an eye on both the car and the driver. The technology offers a live map that gets updated in real-time. You can also receive alerts from modern tracking software anytime your employee or driver exhibits non-compliant conduct, such as braking suddenly, driving too quickly, swerving, etc. It is simple to keep tabs on your young driver’s compliance with company policy and traffic laws when you have access to such exact information.
2. Improved safety: You can monitor if your teen’s car is parked in a secure area if you are aware of the car’s current location. If your teen gets stuck somewhere and needs assistance, they can push the SOS button on some GPS monitoring devices. The button instantly notifies the parent to provide help as quickly as possible. Immediate help could be sent as the parent/ guardian would know the real-time location of their teen’s vehicle.
3. Vehicle and driver safety: These tracking devices make it possible to lessen traffic congestion and prevent accidents from occurring on the road. Another advantage offered by the method is the prevention of theft.
4. Instant alerts: With the help of the geofencing option in car GPS tracking systems, you may create a zone that you think is secure for your teen or even designate it as a safe zone. You will be alerted as soon as your teen’s vehicle departs the defined area, preventing adolescent drivers from going too far or into risky places. In an emergency, you would immediately receive alerts, much like you would with the SOS button mentioned above.
5. Monitors driver’s driving behavior: A GPS tracking system keeps an eye on both the driver and the vehicle. The technology offers a live map that is updated in real-time. With the help of contemporary tracking software, you can also get warnings whenever the driver engages in non-compliant behavior, such as taking a break suddenly, driving too fast, swerving, etc. With such precise data, it is simple to maintain track of each driver’s adherence to corporate policies and traffic regulations.
6. Easy to hide: GPS Trackers, these days, are easy to carry, and quite convenient to use. There are different types of GPS trackers in the market that include GPS trackers for cars, bikes, teenagers, and family members. Since it is compact and has a robust build, it can be installed in your teen’s car in such a way that it would stay hidden. Now, your child would not even know about the hidden tracker, and at the same time, you would know about their whereabouts and make sure they are safe.

These are just a few benefits that a GPS tracking system for vehicles can offer. The system provides a wide range of advantages, proving that it is a long-term investment that is safe and successful.

These benefits must be convincing enough for you to install a GPS-tracking device in your teen’s vehicle. Wouldn’t it be convenient if you find all the necessary features in a single device? With new and better products being launched in the market every day, Family1st portable GPS Tracker has managed to stay on top with its excellent features and promising results!

What Makes Family1st Better Than Others?

To make sure our loved ones are secure, we purchase a GPS tracker. Before investing, we conduct all necessary research, evaluate available options, and ultimately select the product that best meets our needs.

One such is Family1st portable GPS tracker. It has Alexa integration, a long battery life, a safe zone, and alert notifications, prevents theft, offers round-the-clock technical support, provides the highest level of security and safety, utilizes 4G cellular technology, and is feasible.

Top features which make Family1st the best portable GPS tracker out there:

• Cost-effective: Available for $29.95
• Geofencing: this feature alerts you when a vehicle leaves a specified area.
• Portable design 
• Provides driving report 
• Comparatively lower monthly subscription: Monthly subscription of $21.95
• 4G cellular technology
• GPS Tracker integrated with Alexa 
• Lifetime Warranty 
• Available as a mobile app as well on Tablet and PC 
• 24/7 tech support 
• Long-time battery life: 2 weeks functional battery 
• Safe zone notifications
• Alert notification 
• Locates stolen or lost items
• For further information, visit FAMILY1ST now!  

Conclusion

Understanding teen driving statistics can provide a clearer picture of the state of teen driving on U.S. roads and educate parents and guardians about the risk factors teens face behind the wheel. Knowing the most common reasons for accidents and fatalities among newly licensed teen drivers should potentially assist parents and newly licensed teen drivers in making safer decisions while driving. Apart from all the precautions, the most important one of them is to install a portable GPS tracker in your teen’s car/bike. In this way, not only would your teen be safer than usual but at the same time, you’ll be relieved!