Six teens ages 16 to19 die every day from car crashes, based on the 2013 statistics. What makes teen driving too risky?
Motor vehicle crashes is the leading cause of death among American teens. CDC unveils in 2013 that 2,163 teens, ages 16 to 19, were killed and 243,243 were treated in emergency departments for injuries.
People in the bracket of 15 to 24 represent only 14 percent of the U.S. population. Nonetheless, statistics say that "they account for 30 percent ($19 billion) of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries among males and 28 percent ($7 billion) of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries among females," based on Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) study.
Of almost 14,000 fatal crashes involving teen drivers for the last five years, over 4,200 of these involved speed. Around half of teens and adults are driving at 15 mph over the speed limit. The driving is oftentimes done while using the phone, whether texting or taking calls, CBS News correspondent Kris Van Cleave reports.
One of the big mistakes that leads to teen car crash is not properly scanning the road for hazards, as Cleave reports at CBS. There was once a video that captured one teen failing to notice another car running the red light, which has led to a fatal crash.
A research out Wednesday funded by Ford presents a full third of teens are not getting license until at least 18 and they are not subject to the graduated licensing laws, which place restrictions on younger teen drivers. This is important as Graduated licensing laws are said to give positive impact on reducing teen crash risks by as much as 30 percent, Cleave confirmed.
Teen drivers' speed, inexperience and distraction are among where the failing marks are spotted on. Both the government, parents and teenage drivers should cooperate to reduce the fatal teen car crash rate.
