In Ontario, many teenagers flock to get their driver's license once they turn 16 years old. As exciting as this stage is for young and adventurous teenagers, it is just as terrifying for parents and other drivers on the road.
Unfortunately but arguably so, teenage drivers have a bad reputation for being a hazard on the road, which is largely due to their lack of maturity and inexperience. This topic is incredibly important and has been discussed and evaluated by many analysts including MADD Canada, various insurance companies and the Police. The collection of research and statistics is a huge eye opener, as it helps to identify the leading causes of car accidents caused by teenagers and also sheds light on how we can help prevent them through awareness and education.
MADD Canada has sadly concluded that, “road crashed continue to be the leading cause of death among teenagers.[1] Teaching young people to be responsible on the road and take driving seriously is a difficult task. The general rule of thumb, is that practice and experience makes people better drivers. Parents are generally the best and most influential source of knowledge for young people when they are first beginning to drive. A 2009 survey done in Los Angeles high schools suggests that, “when asked about the most helpful resource they had available when leaning to drive, almost half (47%) of students cited their parents, significantly greater than driver training (25%).”[2] Parents definitely should not be taking a ‘do as I say and not as I do’ approach. A lot of bad habits are picked up by observing parents, and driving is no exception. A study conducted by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute revealed that teens who felt their parents were “bad driving role models” were more than two times likely to be involved in a car accident themselves.[3] It is argued that a teenager who has parents who pay attention to them, is involved in their life and have rules which are enforced, are less likely to be the cause of a car accident.[4]
The Durham Region Police has observed that, “the highest percentage of fatal and non-fatal collisions occur in the 15-24 year old age group”.[5] Inexperience and immaturity are also not the best combination when it comes to driving on bad road conditions and in terrible weather. In Canada, teens have an additional hardship, which is learning how to drive in the winter. Teenagers should practice driving in conditions such as rain, snow, fog, and even at nighttime. They should be provided with safety tips from their parents or others, which in turn gives them experience and builds their confidence.
Another reason why teenagers are more likely to be involved in preventable car accidents, is because of their immaturity level. Studies show that, “the part of the brain that is responsible for risk taking, decisions making and judgment does not fully develop until age 20-25.”[6] For example, young drivers, ‘especially males’[7] underestimate the importance of wearing their seatbelt. Also, teenagers are far more likely to be distracted and have a tendency to show off when friends are in the car. “The more teen passengers in the vehicle, the greater the risk of a fatal crash. Furthermore, young male drivers are more likely to drive risky when there are other young male passengers in the car.”[8] It has been reported by 38% of 16 to 19 year olds, that they have taken a risk while driving for fun.[9]
Cellphone use while operating a motor vehicle is an epidemic, especially among young people. It has been proven that drivers who use their cell phone while driving are more impaired that drivers who are driving over the legal alcohol content limit. In addition to this, an article from the Toronto Star claims that ‘the human brain is incapable of multitasking’ and therefore, we cannot talk/text while ‘processing vital driving information at the same time’.[10] Teenagers who are immature and inexperienced are at an even higher risk of being in a collision because of distracted driving.
In Canada, young people are actually less likely to drive impaired; however, there is a study which concludes that, “the highest rate of impaired-driving deaths occurs specifically at age 19.”[11] MADD Canada points out that young drivers are not only inexperienced drivers, but they are also inexperienced drinkers. Combine this with the previously mentioned ‘risk taking’ behaviour of teenagers and you have a recipe for disaster.
Fatigue is one of the leading causes of car accidents. Interestingly, a study conducted in Virginia suggests that early high school start times may be to blame for more accidents caused by teenagers. The argument raised was that, “in puberty, a natural shift occurs in the timing of the body’s internal clock, causing most teens to have a biological preference for a late-night bedtime.”[12] It was recommended in the study that schools should start no earlier than 8:30 to 8:45. Furthermore, teens who are getting into their ‘party’ years are more likely to be sleep deprived, which may affect their ability to drive safely.
As previously stated, teenagers are inexperienced and immature. This already makes them more likely to be the cause of a motor vehicle accident. These characteristics syndicated with all of the other bad driving habits that teenagers exhibit, is a great cause for concern. There are many organizations such as MADD Canada and Parachute, who dedicate their time to create awareness. At the end of the day, we must be hopeful that teenagers are smart and will make a responsible and informed decision before engaging in dangerous behaviour behind the wheel.
