Teens and Night Time Driving: Deadly Combination

It is common knowledge that teenage drivers are more apt to get into car crashes. Some of this is doubtless attributable to inexperience and some to dangerous driving inclinations. The latest study makes it clear that teens driving at night are particularly dangerous to themselves and others.

The Texas Transportation Institute performed a ten year study of nationwide driving fatalities and reached some interesting findings. At a time when car and truck crash deaths are plummeting in Maryland, the District of Columbia and nationwide, night time deaths are not decreasing. http://www.maryland-law.com/blog/crash-deaths-in-maryland-and-nation-at-an-alltime-low.cfm

The study concludes that this is in large measure attributable to distracted and fatigued driving. Teens have growm so accustomed to cell phone usage even while driving that they underestimate the risk, particularly at night. 25% of teens admit to texting while driving and the overwhelming number of deadly distracted driving crashes involve drivers under the age of 20.

The study reports that the per mile crash rate for 16 year old drivers is ten times that for drivers 30 to 59. It is also suggested that teens driving alone are far safer than when driving with their friends. Finally it appears that night driving reduces seatbelt usage which in turn makes bad crashes deadly.

The solution get the word out to teens and enforce the laws on distracted driving. http://www.maryland-law.com/library/distracted-driving-is-hands-free-the-answer-to-reducing-car-crashes.cfm