This research article is alarming but definitely worth sharing:
Source: AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, October, 2011
A new study from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety shows teen drivers are approximately 50% more likely to crash in the first month of driving than they are after a full year of experience driving on their own. In the first month, they are nearly twice as likely to crash as they are after two full years of experience. In the study, which took place in North Carolina, researchers found that three common mistakes—failure to reduce speed, inattention, and failure to yield – accounted for 57% of all crashes in which teens were at least partially responsible during their first month of licensed driving. A related AAA Foundation study used in-vehicle cameras to monitor teens when they were learning to drive with parents, followed by the first 6 months of licensed driving without their parents in the car. The research found that while teens had their learner’s permits, routine trips on familiar roads under relatively easy driving conditions accounted for the bulk of the time spent behind the wheel. Both studies underscore the need for parent involvement in developing their teens driving skills, both before and after licensure. To see the full news release as well as links to both studies and observational video clips, go to: www.aaafoundation.org/
Source: AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, October, 2011
A new study from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety shows teen drivers are approximately 50% more likely to crash in the first month of driving than they are after a full year of experience driving on their own. In the first month, they are nearly twice as likely to crash as they are after two full years of experience. In the study, which took place in North Carolina, researchers found that three common mistakes—failure to reduce speed, inattention, and failure to yield – accounted for 57% of all crashes in which teens were at least partially responsible during their first month of licensed driving. A related AAA Foundation study used in-vehicle cameras to monitor teens when they were learning to drive with parents, followed by the first 6 months of licensed driving without their parents in the car. The research found that while teens had their learner’s permits, routine trips on familiar roads under relatively easy driving conditions accounted for the bulk of the time spent behind the wheel. Both studies underscore the need for parent involvement in developing their teens driving skills, both before and after licensure. To see the full news release as well as links to both studies and observational video clips, go to: www.aaafoundation.org/