There are a growing number of states including California that impose limits on the ability of inexperienced teen drivers to transport friends in their vehicle. This restriction that limits the ability of new teen drivers to transport other teens is designed to prevent a key driving distraction that may contribute to car accidents involving teenage drivers. This restriction is one of the restrictions imposed on teen drivers who receive a provisional driver’s license in California. The other purpose of this restriction is to discourage groups of teenagers from consuming alcohol together and then climbing into a motor vehicle together. While this same type of restriction is increasingly common in many states, the newly released results of a study offers compelling evidence that this particular restriction on new teen drivers does save lives.
Despite significant efforts to reduce the risk of teenage car accidents, teen drivers continue to pose the highest risk of causing a fatal car accident. The scope of the risk posed when inexperienced teen drivers transport other teenagers becomes clear when a few statistics are considered:
- Car accidents are the leading cause of fatalities for teens between the ages of 13-19.
- Motor vehicle accidents account for one-third of all deaths for teens between 13-19.
- Sixty percent of teen motor vehicle fatalities involve accidents driven by other teenagers.
- The teen accident fatality rate increases with the addition of each additional passenger.
- Approximately 83 percent of teens that die in auto accidents are passengers.
These statistics when taken together make a compelling case for the benefits of restricting the ability of teenagers to transport teen passengers. Unfortunately, this restriction can sometimes be difficult to enforce particularly when parents turn a blind eye to such conduct. The failure of many parents to restrict their teenager from transporting friends is partially responsible for the continuing high rate of accidents that result in teen fatalities.
A new study just released by the American Automobile Association quantifies the benefits garnered by restricting teen drivers from transporting other teens. The new study indicates that the presence of teen passengers dramatically increases the risk of car accident related fatalities. The study revealed the following impact on fatalities rates:
- The rate increases 44 percent with a single passenger under 21.
- The fatality rate doubles with two passengers under 21.
- There is triple the fatality rate with three passengers under 21.
Ironically, the study found the opposite result on fatality rates when a teen driver transports a passenger 35 or older. A teen driver’s fatality rate drops by almost two-thirds when a passenger age 35 or older is in the vehicle. Presumably, the presence of an older more experienced driver discourages high risk driving behavior. The clear takeaway from this new data is that parent should refuse to permit their kids to transport other teens or to agree to be passengers in the car with other teen drivers. If your child or teenager is injured in a car accident, our experienced San Francisco car accident attorneys provide compassionate and aggressive legal representation to Bay Area car accident victims.
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