One thing that statistics about road accidents make very clear is that young drivers pose the greatest risks on the road. For teenagers, car crashes are the second leading cause of death, for example. Additionally, the group of drivers from 16 to 19 years old is much smaller than the other age groups, but they still cause a disproportionate amount of fatal accidents.
Even though the stats show that young drivers make the roads a more dangerous place, it’s also important to consider why this happens. What is it about this age group that makes them so dangerous to themselves and others who have to share the road with them?
They are still learning how to drive
The most obvious reason is simply that these are inexperienced drivers who have a lot to learn. They may have practiced with their parents and they may have taken all the right classes and passed the tests, but they still just haven’t put in that many hours driving. The number of mistakes they make will get to be fewer and fewer as they gain experience, which is why you see a clear decline in accidents as soon as someone passes 20 years of age.
Additionally, some young teenagers are more impulsive and will take risks. This could be due to their personality and the sense of invincibility that comes with being young, but it could also just be from inexperience. They may not really understand exactly how risky these behaviors are, whereas an adult who has been driving for decades and has potentially been in car accidents themselves will know just how dangerous it is.
If you have been injured in an accident caused by a teen driver, be sure you know how to seek financial compensation.