A survey from the National Cooperative Highway Research Program found that one in four drivers ages 16 to 17 years old was involved in an automobile crash in 2006. Drivers ages 16 to 19 years old also had the highest number of driving fatalities.

Several factors contribute to the high accident rate among teenage drivers. Alcohol was one important risk: 28% of the teen drivers involved in fatal crashes were legally drunk. Other factors are lack of sleep, lack of supervision, driving after 9 PM, moving away from home, and having passengers in the automobile.

People ages 15 to 20 years old are only 8.4% of the population and 6.3% of all licensed drivers, yet they make up 13.6% of drivers involved in major automobile accidents.

Labels: death, driving, safety