When you look at fatal car accident rates, one thing becomes clear: No age group has a rate as high as teenage drivers. Statistically speaking, there aren’t that many drivers between 16 and 19 years old on the road. However, their fatal accident rate is disproportionately high.
Some people will point to specific reasons for these accidents. For instance, maybe a teen got distracted by their cellphone or decided to drive after drinking alcohol at a college party. And these can certainly be reasons for individual accidents, but they’re not necessarily exclusive to teen drivers. Adults also drive under the influence or get distracted behind the wheel. So why is the crash rate higher for teens than for older drivers?
The role of inexperience
One of the main causes is simply that teen drivers are inexperienced. They’ve only been driving for a matter of weeks, months, or a few years. If a teen gets their license at 16, it just takes time for them to become safer and more experienced. This is why their accident rate goes down as they move into the 20 to 25 age bracket.
This helps show the importance of experience for teens, which is why they often spend time practicing with their parents or with driving instructors. But it also explains why this risk is likely a permanent one. There’s no substitute for experience, so teens simply have to spend time on the road—even when they are still part of the most dangerous age bracket. This increases the risks for everyone else who has to share the road with them.
While you can’t entirely avoid this risk, it is important to know how to seek financial compensation if you or a family member is injured in an accident caused by a teen driver. Having legal guidance can help.
