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What is the leading killer of teenagers?Nearly 6,000 teenagers of driving age die in motor vehicle crashes each year, making the car the #1 killer of teenagers. Car crashes kill more teenagers than cancer and all other diseases combined.What situations are leading to so many deaths? The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety suggests two: Drinking and driving Teenagers are inexperienced at both drinking and driving, so small amounts of alcohol can have tragic effects. For example, teenage drivers with blood alcohol concentrations of 0.05-0.10 percent are far more likely than sober teen drivers to be killed in single-vehicle crashes. And, about 20 percent of all fatally injured teenage drivers have a blood alcohol concentration above 0.10, the legal limit in most states. Night driving More than 40 percent of all fatal motor vehicle crashes involving teens occur between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.—especially on weekends. Male drivers 16-19 years old are involved in about four times as many nighttime fatal crashes as men 30-54 years old. How can we reduce the number of teenage traffic deaths? Be a good role model A teenager’s driving habits are developed long before he or she sits behind the wheel. Choose safe cars for young drivers Large cars are generally safer than small cars. Safety features make sense, too. Practice with your young driver Give your teen plenty of supervised driving time during the learning process, even after they get their license. Discourage nighttime driving Many states have curfews for teen drivers. Enforce no-drinking-and-driving rules Make an agreement with your teen to call home for a ride if a potential drunk driving situation develops. In return, you promise to get your teenager home with no questions asked. To learn more, ask your independent insurance agent for information on teenage drivers, or link directly to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for additional information.
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