9781422274866

TEENS AND DRIVING

Getting your driver’s license is one of the most exciting events in life. But driving a car is a big responsibility—and it can sometimes be dangerous. The Insurance Institute for Highway

Safety reports that teenage drivers are more likely to be involved in crashes than all but the oldest adult drivers. Here are some of the main causes of fatal crashes by teens: • Driver error: Teens are more likely to make errors than adults— mostly because they are inexperienced behind the wheel. • Speeding: Going faster than the speed limit is a factor in one-third of fatal car crashes by teens. • Passengers: Every passenger a teen driver transports increases the risk of a fatal crash; in fact, just over 50% of teen passenger deaths occur in crashes with teen drivers. • Alcohol: Approximately 20% of fatally injured teen drivers have blood alcohol concentrations of 0.08% or more (the legal limit for adults in most areas of the United States); of course, as a teen, you should NEVER drink alcohol, especially when driving. • Night driving: The fatal crash rate of 16- to 19-year-olds is approximately four times as high at night as it is during the day. • Low safety belt use: Unfortunately, most teens who are killed in vehicle crashes were not wearing their seat belts. It’s very exciting to get your driver’s license, but driving is a big responsibility, and you need to be very careful on the road.

12 CAREERS WITH EARNING POTENTIAL: CAR MECHANIC