Teen Driving: the Dangers Are Underrated

A good driver concentrates on the road, what is happening around the vehicle, and is alert to the fact that other drivers can and do make mistakes. When teenagers first get their licenses they don’t automatically become an efficient driver. Minors usually rush into getting their licenses because they cannot wait to be amongst the first of their friends to drive a car. Sometimes all the training they received during their permit stage – is forgotten and they sacrifice practice and the understanding of what makes a good driver. According to National Transportation Safety Board statistics, Almost 64,000 youths aged 15 to 20 dies in traffic accidents from 1994 through 2003. Researchers are finding that organized thoughts, weighing consequences and suppressing impulses does not fully develop until the age 25. Teens have a hard time controlling their risky behavior and becoming responsible which is why minors are mostly involved in crashes. Some regulations have been made to help decrease the dangers of teen driving, for example, the Graduated Driver License and the banning of cell phones while driving to help prevent distractions. Even though there are regulations, minors don’t always follow them which is why the dangers of teen driving are underrated.
One of the leading dangers with teen driving is the amount of cell phone usage. Teenagers are in the prime of their social life and always have a cell phone within reach. Using a cell phone causes teens to become less aware of their surroundings and lose focus on the road. “According to a study by the
Ford Motor Company, teens are more likely to be distracted by cell phones than adults and cross lane lines 53.8 percent more often than without a phone”(Ky Sisson). When teenagers’ text message each other while driving, they are increasing the risk of an accident. “A University of Utah found that teens react to brake lights as slowly as a 70 year old when they use a cell phone while driving” (Bethany Lewis). Since their