Teenagers with a brand new driver’s license pose a threat when out on the road. Even responsible teens may get distracted and wield their newfound freedom in a dangerous way. Enough teens die in car crashes every year to fill three high schools. These new drivers simply don’t understand how to drive carefully according to the speed limits and traffic laws, and it can get them into grave and devastating situations. Teens are most likely to die in a car accident than from drug or alcohol abuse. Therefore, the concept of teen safety on the road should be at the forefront of every parent and teen’s mind.

One of the biggest problems with teen driving is that these adolescents transfer their video game skills into the real world. After years of racing games played in front of the T.V., teens think it is okay to use their car like a game controller for speeding, spinning, and racing other cars. One safety advocate says that teens assume that getting their license at 16 is a rite of passage, when it should be treated more like a valuable privilege. Research shows that teens don’t think about risk the same way that adults do, and are much more willing to make dangerous mistakes out on the road. The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and State Farm Insurance collaborated on a study and found out that 75% of all accidents causing death by a teen driver were because of one of three mistakes.

The first mistake that teens commonly make when driving is that they drive too fast for the road conditions or weather. Teens may not think to slow their speed in a rainstorm or a traffic zone. Instead, they try to zoom through dangerous driving conditions, often causing a rear-end crash or a hydroplaning accident. Sometimes when a teen is speeding, he or she might not be able to brake by the time that the cars ahead are at a standstill. Another reason that many teens crash is because they fail to identify what is approaching from ahead or from the side. When a car changes lanes right beside a teen, they may fail to use their mirrors and note this, and then try to slide into that lane, clipping the car beside them. When driving at high speeds on a freeway, this can do a lot of damage. In rural areas, some teens won’t notice an animal crossing the road, and this can create a crash.

As well, teens sometimes get distracted by something inside or outside of their vehicle, which leads to an accident. Like any other skill, when learning to drive new car a teen should devote all his or her time and attention to the task at hand. When teens try to eat, drink, or goof around with friends while operating their vehicle, they are much more likely to end up in a collision. Texting and talking on the phone are two of the main and most common distractions that cause dangerous collisions. Sometimes when something interesting is going on on the side of the road, teens will watch so intently that they fail to stop at a red light or notice a car that has cut in front of them.

Also, just by focusing on an object a teen might subconsciously steer towards it. Trees, light poles, and dividers can become fatal barriers when a distracted driver hits them at a high speed. The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety says that many teens end up in single-vehicle accidents every year, and 50 percent of all fatal teenager accidents are ones of this nature. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration admits that only about 75% of all teens buckle up while driving, leading to more and more fatal collisions. By remembering speed, being spatially aware, and being focused on the task of driving, teens can improve their odds of avoiding a dangerous crash.