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7 of the biggest mistakes young people make when they drive
7 of the biggest mistakes young people make when they drive
Steven JohnOct 26, 2019, 18:15 IST
State College High School Driver's Education student Tanner Curley looks back as he parallel parks in State College, Pa., Friday, Feb. 27, 2009.AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster
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Young people account for the majority of car accidents in the United States.
There are several dangerous behaviors young people exhibit while driving that make them more prone to get into car accidents.
About 75% of American motorists consider themselves to be better-than-average drivers, which means that at least a quarter of the people out there on the road have a flawed sense of their own abilities.
But overconfidence behind the wheel is more than a matter of ego. Nine out of 10 car crashes are caused by human error - with issues like mechanical failure or unavoidable driving conditions accounting for the rest.
One age group in particular, however, accounts for the majority of auto accidents: young people.
The Foundation for Traffic Safety found that the youngest drivers, those aged 16 and 17, accounted for nearly twice as many accidents as drivers just slightly older, in the 18-to-19-year-old age range. In fact, not until age 30 was there a significant dropoff in accidents, while drivers between 60 and 69 years old were found to be the safest.
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And while getting into car wrecks is the worst thing young motorists are doing, it's hardly the only mistake these millennials and Gen Zers are making while behind the wheel.
Here are the worst mistakes young people make when they're driving.
Younger drivers speed at much higher rates than older motorists.
A survey of deadly crashes conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration revealed that younger drivers are much more likely to speed than older ones. Speed was a factor in deadly crashes in 32% of all accidents caused by male drivers 24 and under, and in about 19% of all crashes caused by females of the same age group.
Speed becomes less and less of a factor in deadly crashes as driver age increases. Just 7% of men and 5% of women 75 and older who were involved in deadly wrecks were speeding at the time.
Young motorists are more likely to be on their phones while driving.
A survey conducted by InsuranceZebra found that 36% of drivers between the ages of 18 and 24 admitted to texting while driving, while the National Safety Council found that as many as two out of three teenage drivers at least occasionally used a phone app while driving.
And more than one in 10 drivers under the age of 20 who were involved in a fatal crash were found to be distracted at the time of the accident.
Younger drivers let the tank run closer to empty before filling up.
According to a survey of 2,000 drivers, only 12% of drivers ages 18 to 34 refill their gas tanks shortly after the half-full mark, with about a third of these drivers letting the warning light come on before they refuel.
This puts these young drivers at risk of being stranded and also risks damaging the vehicle's fuel pump by letting sediment build up in the tank.
19% of millennial and Gen Z drivers regularly eat behind the wheel.
Auto insurance provider InsuranceZebra surveyed more than 1,000 drivers and found that about a fifth of millennial and Gen Z drivers regularly eat behind the wheel, an activity that creates a distraction and mandates at least one if not both hands leave the steering wheel.
The study also found that female drivers are 17% more likely to eat and drive than male drivers.
Younger drivers drive drunk significantly more than older ones.
Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reveal that younger drivers are much more likely to be involved in fatal drunk driving accidents than their older peers. In the year 2017, a stunning 42% of all DUI fatalities in America were caused by drivers who were between 16 and 24 years old.
And men are more likely to be involved in drunk driving wrecks by a factor of four.
Young are much more aggressive behind the wheel.
Motorists under the age of 30 are much more likely to engage in aggressive driving techniques like tailgating, rapid lane changes, and dangerous passing, according to information compiled by the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association.
32% of drivers under 30 reported driving aggressively at times, while by the time they reached 50, only about 9% of drivers reported driving with aggression.
Younger drivers tend to know very little about basic auto care.
Some two-thirds of teenage drivers said in a survey that they're unsure how to change a car tire, jump start an engine, or check their oil.
A lack of proper routine maintenance can lead to costly repairs that could easily have been avoided. Improper car care can also make the vehicle less safe to operate.
