Teen Driving Awareness

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20 December 2011 Teen Driving Video Although the number has decreased since 1986, “According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, auto accidents are the leading cause of death for teens in America.” (Driving Teens Crazy.) On a yearly average, six thousand teens die in car-related accidents. That is more than 15 people a day! Teens simply lack driving experience and do not have the ability to predict and handle many traffic situations. (Graduated Driver Licensing). The lack of seat belt usage is one of the reasons that this age group has been affected. Underage drinking while driving has played a factor as well. Having more than one person in a vehicle and driving at night is also a distraction to the driver, a rule many teens tend to break. In sum, teens are the worst drivers due to immaturity and inexperience. Graduated driver’s licensing programs are offered throughout the United States and are the best methods to teach young teens how to drive safely. A graduated driver’s license is used to phase in full driving privileges by providing a significant learning period and limiting “high-risk driving in an initial license phase.” (Children, Teens, Motor Vehicles and the Law). Because teens are risky drivers, a three-stage graduated driver’s license should be required to prevent casualties. A three-stage graduated driver’s license would first provide a supervised learner’s permit. A fifteen-year-old should be required to take drivers education or be parent taught. This allows teens to become more cautious and learn proper techniques when driving “under all conditions, including daytime and nighttime, adverse weather, high-speed roads, and congested traffic.” (Teen Driver Crashes A Report to Congress July 2008). In addition, the learners permit places reasonable restrictions of the new driver. For example, a teen with a learners permit may only

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