Do Teenagers Cause More Car Accidents Than Adults in Ocala, Florida?

Bill Allen | August 11, 2023 | Car Accidents

Do Teenagers Cause More Car Accidents Than Adults in Ocala, Florida?

Parenting is a difficult job, but one of the toughest moments for you may come when you have to hand your child keys to a car for the first time. Driving is risky, and many of us may have the idea that teenagers are worse drivers than adults. But do they actually cause more car accidents in Ocala, Florida?

Below, we’ll take a look at the statistics surrounding teenage drivers and give you some advice on the best way to keep your teenager safe as they take to the open roads.

What the Numbers Say

In order to determine if teenagers are, in fact, more dangerous drivers, let’s take a look at some quick statistics.

  • Every year, close to 3,000 teenagers between the ages of 13 and 18 die in car crashes. Another 227,000 are injured in these crashes. This means that, on average, eight teenagers die in car crashes every day.
  • Crashes involving teenage drivers tend to be about three times more likely to be fatal than crashes with drivers age 20 and older.
  • The motor vehicle crash death rate for teenage boys is about three times higher than that for teenage girls.
  • The risk of an unsupervised teenage driver crashing goes up with every teenage or adolescent passenger that gets added to the car.
  • Younger drivers (around age 16) are about 1.5 times more likely to crash than older teen drivers (around 18-19).
  • In 2021, teenage drivers accounted for about 9 percent of all fatal passenger vehicle crashes.

By the numbers, teenagers don’t cause more wrecks than adults in Ocala, Florida. But that’s only because there are fewer of them. Overall, teenagers (and teen boys in particular) are much more likely to be involved in a crash than the adult drivers around them.

Common Causes of Teenage Wrecks

So now we know teenage drivers are at higher risk of a crash than adults; but why is this? The simplest answer is that teenagers aren’t as experienced. Driving is a complex skill, and it takes some time to get good enough at the demands of operating a car that you can pay adequate attention to the road around you. 

But teenagers also tend to engage in riskier behavior while driving. Youthful hubris leads teens to drive faster, text while driving, or get distracted by loud music or conversations with friends. Teenagers are also less likely to wear seatbelts than adult drivers, 

Teenage drivers may be more likely to drive under the influence of alcohol and drugs. In fact, about 5 percent of high schoolers who drive reported driving after they’d been drinking at least once in the previous 30 days. And close to a third of teen drivers who died in car crashes had been drinking.

Nighttime driving can also be riskier for teen drivers. They may not know yet what danger signs to watch for on dark roads, and they may be more likely to miss turns or hit oncoming cars or pedestrians.

Preparing Your Teen to Take the Wheel

If you’re the parent or guardian of a teenager, you may be wondering how you can prepare them to navigate the roads safely. One of the best things you can do is to encourage them to wear a seat belt at all times in a moving vehicle. About half of teenagers killed in car crashes aren’t wearing seatbelts.

It’s also a good idea to talk to your teen about drinking and driving. It’s best to maintain as non-judgemental a tone as possible and to teach them safe drinking practices if they do choose to drink underage. Let your child know that if they ever need a ride for any reason, even if they and/or their friends have been drinking, you will come get them and they won’t be in trouble. Giving your teenager a safe alternative to drinking and driving could save their life.

Get Help with Your Teenager’s Accident Case

Allowing your teenager to start driving is one of the most terrifying steps in parenting. Teach your teenager safe driving practices, and let them know that, if they ever need a ride, they’ll be safe calling you for help. Teaching these safe practices can help reduce your teenager’s risk as they take to the road.
If your teenager is injured in a car crash, they could be entitled to compensation. The Ocala personal injury lawyers at Allen Law Firm can help you fight for a full and fair settlement in your case.

Contact Our Ocala Car Accident Law Firm in North Central Florida

If you need legal assistance, contact the Ocala car accident lawyers at Allen Law Firm at your nearest location to schedule a free consultation today.

We have three convenient locations in North Central Florida:

Allen Law Firm, P.A. – Ocala Office
112 S Pine Ave
Ocala, FL 34471
(352) 351-3258

Allen Law Firm, P.A. – Downtown Gainesville
621 W University Ave
Gainesville, FL 32601
(866) 928-6292

Allen Law Firm, P.A. – Gainesville office
2550 SW 76th St #150
Gainesville, FL 32608
(877) 255-3652