There are many factors that affect the rate of fatal car crashes for teens. For instance, the rate of these crashes for 16-year-olds is nearly twice as high at night. But in a new report from AAA, speeding was reported as one of the top factors in fatal crashes involving teen drivers in the past five years.
The report stated that more than 4,200 of the 14,000 fatal crashes involved speeding. These accidents don’t just affect teens, of course.
“Nearly two-thirds of people injured or killed in a crash involving a teen driver are people other than the teen,” said Bill Van Tassel, AAA’s manager of Driver Training Operations.
In the report, 65% of driving instructors responded to a survey stating that parents aren’t preparing their kids to be good drivers, as compared to 10 years ago. Instructors noted that many dangerous behaviors, such as speeding 15 mph over the limit and using cell phones while driving, were learned from parents.
“Most teens are learning important driving skills from watching their parents, and they are picking up bad behaviors along with the good ones. So it’s up to today’s parents to set a good example. It may end up saving their children’s lives,” said AAA Director of State Relations Jennifer Ryan.
Distracted driving was also a big factor in fatal car accidents, and is becoming a bigger problem with drivers in general. About 77% of drivers between the ages of 35 and 55 stated that they talked on the phone while driving, and 68% of teens admitted their phones were a big distraction while driving.