Your teen driver may look for any reason to get behind the wheel, but driver safety is always on the mind of any parent. There are some common reasons why a teen could cause a motor vehicle accident compared to older, more experienced drivers.
Common causes of teen car crashes
If a teen is distracted by other teen passengers, they could cause a car accident. The more teen passengers in the car, the greater the risk of a motor vehicle accident. Teens who are chatting with passengers are not paying attention to the road.
Similarly, if a teen is distracted by their cellphone, by eating or by listening to music, they could cause a motor vehicle accident. Distractions are common among drivers of any age, but the number of fatal distracted driving accidents is greater amongst drivers under age 21 versus drivers age 21 or older.
If a teen is speeding, they could cause a car crash. Teens are more apt to speed than older motorists. Speeding can easily cause a motor vehicle accident as it can make it difficult to handle road conditions, navigate around other drivers and stop in time to avoid a crash.
Finally, if a teen fails to look out for hazards on the road, they could cause a motor vehicle accident. Often this failure is chalked up to inexperience. If a collision occurs due to driver error and it involves a teen, it is more likely that the teen caused the error versus the other driver.
Teen drivers cause car crashes for many reasons
As this shows, there are many reasons why a teen driver could cause a car crash. While some of these reasons are common amongst drivers of any age, teen drivers are inexperienced and naïve and thus may be more apt to engage in risky behaviors behind the wheel. It is important to discuss driver safety with your teen, in order to prevent teen motor vehicle accidents.