Car accidents are still the leading cause of death for teenagers in Ohio and the U.S. When are teens most likely to be killed on the road? Teen drivers have the highest risk of being in a fatal car accident in the U.S. between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Teen drivers are three times more likely to be in a car accident compared to adult drivers, and during the summer months, it is much more dangerous for teenagers to be on the road. Law enforcement officials in Ohio say that there are several factors that contribute to teens being in more car accidents.
Inexperience, speeding, not wearing a seat belt and distracted driving are some of the most common reasons that teen drivers get into serious and fatal car accidents across the country. In addition to teen drivers being distracted by technology and cellphone use behind the wheel, studies have found that teen passengers also increase the risk of being in a car crash.
Studies report that teen drivers who have other teenage passengers in the vehicle can be very dangerous and increases the risk of being in a crash. Just having one teen passenger in the car increases the chance of being in a crash by 48 percent and having three or more passengers in the increases the risk by 307 percent.
Law enforcement officials in Ohio are trying to crackdown on distracted driving among teen drivers through the state law that allows police officers to cite teen drivers if they are using any electronic devices behind the wheel. They are also trying to raise awareness about the dangers of distracted driving and the importance of wearing a seat belt among teen drivers in Ohio.
Source: WDTN, “Memorial Day to Labor Day most deadly for teen drivers,” June 3, 2013
