• 27
  • January
    2012

Young drivers engage in a wide range of risky practices when behind the wheel. Inexperience alone would account for the increase in car accidents, particularly fatal car accidents, that has always plagued teen drivers. In addition to that lack of experience, teens may exacerbate the situation by texting, drinking, speeding, tailgating or taking other unsafe chances while driving. Recent studies from State Farm Insurance and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia have helped to identify another factor that increases the risk of accidents in teen drivers: the presence of teen passengers.

Parents and guardians who are concerned about the safety of their teen when behind the wheel should set rules about the people who can ride along. A teen driver with other teens in the car is more likely to be distracted before a crash than a teen driver who is alone. Further, teenage males are significantly more likely to perform an illegal driving maneuver and drive aggressively if they have other teens in the car. While female teen drivers did show an increased tendency to be distracted, they did not drive more aggressively with teen passengers.

Several states with restricted or graduated license programs have passed legislation about who can ride along with a newly licensed driver. Some laws restrict the number of passengers allowed, while others limit the passengers to immediate family members. No restriction can replace the value of teaching teen drivers the importance of safety behind the wheel. Parents and guardians need to manage their teen's driving habits and ensure that they are being responsible drivers.

Teen drivers, particularly young men, are known to take risks when it comes to safety. While studies and safety statistics may have no impact on their behavior, they can help inform parents about what sorts of behaviors they should prohibit to protect their children. Teen drivers with teen passengers in the car risk their own safety and the safety of others on the road.

Source: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Risky business: Teens driving with other teens," by Joel Provano, 24 January 2012