Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for teens (16 to 20) in the U.S. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2006, 4,144 teens died in motor vehicle crashes. Nearly 400,000 teens were treated in hospital emergency rooms for crash-related injuries.

Mile for mile, teens are more likely than older drivers to have a motor vehicle accident. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports 16-year-old drivers are involved in about 35 accidents for every million miles of driving. Drivers in their 20s have about 9 accidents per million miles. For those in their early 40s, crash rates are about 4/million miles of driving.

Crash fatality rates are also much higher for teens. Per mile driven, 16-year-olds are three times more likely to die in a motor vehicle accident than 20- to 24-year-olds and 13 times more likely than drivers 40 to 44.

Factors in Teen Crashes

Teens are at higher risk for crashes for a number of reasons. They have less experience than older drivers and may be unable to maneuver around road hazards or to anticipate other drivers’ intentions. Teens may have poor judgment and decision-making skills. They also tend to take more risks than older drivers.

A study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found, among 16-year-olds, driver error contributes to 78 percent of fatal crashes. Speeding contributes to 39 percent of deadly accidents. Having two or more passengers is associated with 29 percent of the crashes. Night driving and not using a seat belt are also important factors in deadly crashes. Alcohol is more likely to be a factor in crash deaths for older teens than for the youngest drivers.

Teaching Teens to Drive

Learning to drive involves knowledge and practice. Teens must know how to operate a vehicle and know driving laws. Theresa Podguski, Public Affairs Director with East Penn Region-AAA East Central, offers some tips for parents of teens eager to start driving: Find a qualified instructor. Many parents share the responsibility of teaching a son or daughter to drive. But some parents don’t have the patience, time or willingness. Many school districts only offer the classroom portion of driver’s education. There are many professional driving schools to help out. Ask for references from family, friends or your auto insurer.

Know the laws. Driving laws vary from state to state. Teens should be well versed in the rules of the road, as well as common driving courtesies. A driver with a permit will have more driving restrictions that someone with a license. Even once a teen gets a license, many states have graduated driving programs that gradually increase the amount of time a newly licensed driver can be behind the wheel.

Safety first. Parents must be prepared to enforce basic safety rules, like always wearing a seat belt, no speeding and no alcohol. Teens should also refrain from any type of distracted driving, such as talking on a cell phone or texting while behind the wheel. Many experts recommend having a teen and parents sign a driving contract that stipulates loss of driving privileges if rules are broken.

Be a role model. Podguski says parents are role models for driving behavior long before a teen is eligible to drive. Very young children observe how a parent acts in the driver’s seat and often mimic some of those learned behaviors – both good ones and the bad ones.

Driving is a milestone for most teens. It brings freedom and increased independence from mom and dad. It also carries a high sense of responsibility, but not all teens are ready to take on that responsibility. While most teens get their permit by age 16, that’s not a magic number. Safety experts remind parents that driving is a privilege, not a right. If a parent believes a teen is not ready to take on the responsibilities that come with a driver’s license, then parents should consider waiting several months or longer for a teen to get a driving permit. AAA has a variety of programs to help teens learn to drive, such as the Dare to Prepare” Pre-permit program. For information go to http://www.aaaexchange.com/Main/Default.asp?CategoryID=14&SubCategoryID=70. The website also provides state-specific information.

For other information on teenager drivers and tips on teaching your teen to drive:

AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration