Car accidents rank as the 9th leading cause of death, accounting for 2.2% of all deaths globally every year. Among those deaths, more than half of all the drivers are between the ages of 15-44 years old. In fact, as far as younger people, car accidents are the leading cause of death in teen drivers age 16-19.
These statistics might seem somewhat shocking, but when you think about the amount of people on the roads every day- consider rush hour traffic in greater Cleveland alone- the numbers make a little more sense. Factor in drivers who are distracted or not wearing their seatbelts, and the number of deaths may only be on the rise.
Teen Driving Facts and Statistics
Arm yourself with information as your teen is heading to driving school for the first time. Knowing some facts will help you support them in becoming a responsible driver. Setting ground rules and helping your teen learn the needed skills can help improve their safety on the road. Here are some of the latest teen driving facts and statistics that are important to know:
As mentioned before, the teens between the ages of 16 and 19 are most at risk for vehicle crashes. According to the CDC, per mile driven, teens in this age group are nearly three times more likely than drivers older than 20 to be involved in a fatal crash.
The first months after teens get their driver’s licenses are the highest risk for crashes.
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) reports that 78% of teens killed in car accidents in 2013 were passengers, and 52% of these accidents occurred in vehicles with another teen driver.
A fatal crash involving a teen is more likely to occur due to factors like speeding and driver error, or “rookie” mistakes.
Two or more teen passengers in a car more than triples the risk for a fatal car crash.
Even though teen drivers are less likely than adults to drink and drive, their crash risk is considerably higher when they do, even at low and moderate blood alcohol concentrations.
Compared with other age groups, teens have the lowest rate of seat belt use- in 2013, only 55% of teens reported that they wear their seat belt religiously, every time they get behind the wheel or when riding with someone else.
The good news is that these fatalities are largely preventable. Parents can be highly influential in creating safe teen drivers by practicing safe driving techniques themselves and enforcing rules with consequences. It’s also important that your teen learns the proper skills and basic mechanics of driving at a driving school like Drive Team, where we provide the most advanced driver training possible.
Don’t let your teen become another driving statistic! DriveTeam is a premier driving school, offering teen driving classes and corporate driver training to drivers of all ages to ensure everyone stays as safe as possible behind the wheel. Contact us today for more information.