10 Things You Don’t Know About Teen Drivers

There are a lot of risks to face out there on the open road, especially as a new driver. However, knowing a few facts and numbers can help both parents and teens to be more cautious and make safer decisions behind the wheel. Here are 10 things you probably did not know about teen drivers:

1. The first twelve months of driving are the most dangerous time in a teenager’s life.

2. Even after the first year, and after teens turn into 20-somethings, the risk of a crash remains extremely high. For this reason, the road can remain a dangerous place, and auto insurance rates will remain high as well. In fact, the risk of being a young driver doesn’t significantly decrease until the age of 25.

3. Teens don’t always take more risks than other drivers. In fact, the most common reason for teen crashes is inexperience rather than risky behavior.

4. Teen drivers are 3X more likely to crash than experienced drivers.

5. Three or more passengers increase a teen drivers crash risk by 4X.

6. Most fatal nighttime crashes happen before midnight.

7. More than 50% of teens killed in car crashes were not wearing a seatbelt.

8. Most states have inadequate teen driving laws and restrictions to protect teens from common crash risks.

9. Teens get their driving habits from their parents.

10. Among other gender differences, teen boys are 3X more likely to drive aggressively when there’s a girl in the car.