If you have ever overheard a group of teenagers discussing what they get up to, you won’t be surprised that they have such a high crash rate when driving Teens often have a long way to go until they have the maturity to make sensible decisions, especially when in the company of their peers.
Here are some of the critical errors researchers discovered leads to the high crash rate among teens:
They’re prone to distractions
This is an issue for drivers of all ages, but teens can be particularly prone. They’ve likely grown up with a phone glued to their hand, doing two things at once, so putting it down while driving may seem more anathema to them than to those who grew up when phones were less prevalent.
Of course, phones are not the only distractions, which is one of the reasons carrying friends of their age can be so problematic. Those friends can distract the driver.
They’re not fully aware of what is happening around them
This ties into distraction, but it is also down to insufficient checking of mirrors. It takes a real effort to constantly scan the mirrors as the instructors teach in driving school.
They have a propensity to speed
Teens can get very excited about driving a new vehicle. They may want to see how fast it goes or see what it feels like to drive at a certain speed. While anyone of any age could do this, teens are probably more likely to crash as a result, as they lack the ability to handle their vehicles at high speeds due to lack of experience.
You can’t teach experience. It takes time for teenagers to gain the driving experience that most adults have that will enable them to make safer decisions and react appropriately in difficult moments. While every driver must pass through this stage, you have the right to claim compensation if they injure you in the process.