Teen Driving Statistics: The Scary Truth
Over 6,000 teens die each year in car accidents. This statistic is staggering, and it is obvious that something has to be changed in the way we teach our teens how to drive. I recently found a website called Teens in the Driver’s Seat, which has many great resources about preventative measures to help keep teens safe while driving.
Here are just a few of the startling facts about teen driving that are listed on the Teens in the Driver’s Seat website:
•Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teens in the U.S.
(National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2006)
•64% of youth aged 15-20 years old who died in passenger vehicles were not wearing seat belts.
(National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2006)
•54% of motor vehicle crash deaths among teens occurred on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.
(Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 2006)
•One out of every five 16 year-olds will be in a car crash.
(National Safety Council, 2006)
•31% of 15-20 year-olds killed in motor vehicle crashes had been drinking.
(National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2006)
•In 2006, 272,000 young drivers (15-20 years old) were injured in car crashes. This averages to about 745 injuries each day.
•Cell phone distractions contribute to a yearly cost of 2,600 fatalities and 330,000 injuries for all age groups and a total societal cost of $43 billion.
I am currently part of an initiative to stop teens from texting and driving. The program is called TADD (Teens Against Distracted Driving). I have currently partnered with 5 Tarrant County high schools, where their student councils are having pledge drives to have students sign a pledge to not text and drive. In return, they receive a free orange wrist bracelet (as pictured below).
This information and commentary is provided by Texas Board Certified Personal Injury Attorney Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or in Dallas at 214-327-8000.
Comments
Great column
Posted by: prophecy | June 20, 2011 2:10 PM