Teen Drivers Targeted in New Safety Campaign
The California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) recently released a new series of videos aimed at educating teens about safe driving habits. The series is called “Did You Know?” and it can be found at: www.gosafelyca.org. The campaign seeks to decrease the number of accidents involving teen drivers throughout our state.
One of the key points in the video series is the importance of limiting distractions to the driver. Parents are encouraged to share the videos with their young drivers so that each trip can be a safe trip.
Teen Driver Statistics
Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reveals that car accidents are a leading cause of death for people aged 15 to 18 years old. In 2019, drivers 20 years old and younger were involved in 354 fatal auto accidents throughout the nation. In California that same year, 164 people aged 16 to 19 lost their lives in vehicle crashes.
Inexperience Presents a Big Risk
During the first months of a driver obtaining their license, the crash risk is especially high. This is credited to inexperience, according to the director of OTS. Only a minimum level of knowledge of road rules and vehicle maneuvering skills are required in order for someone to obtain a driver’s license. Much of the learning is then done “on-the-job.” The more experience a person has in dealing with situations that present themselves on the road, the better a driver that person will become. For new drivers, the experience behind the wheel is very limited. Thus, the risk of being involved in a collision is much greater in the first few months after obtaining a license. The combination of inexperience and the false confidence and flawed perception of their own abilities that many new drivers have can make a young driver prone to engage in risky driving behaviors.
Risky Driving Behavior
It is commonly said that young people are unaware of their own mortality. This can translate into unsafe driving behaviors, such as operating a vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol, traveling at unsafe speeds, and/or failing to wear a seatbelt.
Young male drivers are substantially more likely to participate in risky driving behavior than their female counterparts. This phenomenon is supported by statistics. Traffic fatalities in 2016 that involved male drivers between the ages of 15 and 20 were studied, and the top causes of those fatal collisions were:
- Speeding (32 percent)
- Drinking and driving (21 percent)
Compounding matters, of all the teen drivers that were killed that year in crashes after consuming alcohol, 58% were not wearing seatbelts.
Topics Covered in Safety Video Series
The “Did You Know?” video series is intended to provide useful information for parents and teens. The topics covered within the video series include:
- The Graduated Driver’s License Law in California
- Driving: The Most Dangerous Action Teens Take
- The Hands-Free Cell Phone Law in California
- Distracted Driving – 100% Preventable
- Distracted Driving is Not Just Mobile Phone Use
- Zero Tolerance Law
Watch the YouTube video. One of the videos in the series – this one on distracted driving – is featured below.
The Role of the OTS
The Office of Traffic Safety manages traffic safety grants in order to deliver creative programs aimed at eliminating traffic injuries and fatalities on the roadways of California. The agency operations under the California State Transportation Agency.
Elk Grove Personal Injury Lawyer
Hello, and thank you for reading. My name is Ed Smith, and I am an Elk Grove personal injury lawyer. There are many dangers on our Northern California roads and highways – driver inexperience is just one of many. When an accident that was not your fault causes you to suffer injuries or results in the wrongful death of a loved one, a skilled injury lawyer can help. Please reach out to us for free and friendly legal advice at (916) 694-0002 or (800) 404-5400.
Photo: Pixabay
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