Illinois teens look forward to the privilege of driving. It gives them a better sense of independence, but at the same time, teen drivers face a variety of risks. These are a few of the most common that can lead to a car accident.
Being male
Male teens face a much higher risk of deadly crashes compared with females. Those between the ages of 16 and 19 are twice as likely to die in an accident compared to their female counterparts. This is because male teens are more likely to engage in riskier behaviors behind the wheel.
Inexperience behind the wheel
Teen drivers don’t have the same level of experience as adults, giving them much higher odds of getting into a wreck. They may be unable to appropriately react in certain situations while driving and make mistakes that can put them in grave danger. Teens are also less likely to realize they are in a dangerous situation while on the road.
Nighttime driving
Another big risk teen drivers face is nighttime driving, which is more dangerous for drivers of all ages. Those between 16 and 19 years of age are three times more likely to get into a fatal crash. Darkness makes it more difficult to see and can compromise a teen driver’s judgment and reaction time.
Lack of seatbelt use
Teens are less likely than adult drivers to wear their seatbelts. This poses significant risks when they choose to get behind the wheel. If an accident occurs, it could result in the teen driver being thrown from the vehicle, suffering severe injuries or even death.
Distracted driving
Teen drivers are more prone to distracted driving. Many even have the false belief that they are actually better at driving while engaging in some other activity such as texting. In reality, any type of distraction behind the wheel greatly increases the risk of a deadly accident. Texting is considered the worst distraction due to its association with all three types of distractions: manual, visual and cognitive.
These are some of the biggest risks to teen drivers. Being smarter behind the wheel might keep them safer.