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For Teen Drivers, More Passengers Mean Higher Risk of Accidents

By Admin on May 17, 2012 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Teenagers are the most dangerous drivers on the road, with a crash rate almost four times that of older drivers. Males are particularly susceptible, and the rate is especially high during the first year of driving.

We also know technology can greatly affect a teen driver's accident risk. But so does the number of teen passengers. A new study by the American Automobile Association Foundation for Traffic Safety pinpoints just how much.

Teen car accidents increase by 44 percent when a 16- or 17-year-old driver has one passenger younger than 21, according to the study. The risk doubles with two young passengers. It quadruples with three or more young passengers.

The correlation between teen car accidents and teen passengers has been known for quite some time. Almost every state places passenger restrictions on teens for six months after they obtain a driver's license. Some even require adults to be in the car.

In light of these numbers, AAA suggests that parents talk with their kids about these restrictions and ban their teens from carrying a young passenger without adult supervision, reports the Washington Post. Adding adult supervision can save lives.

Carrying one passenger over the age of 35 decreases a teen driver's accident risk by 46 percent. It decreases their death risk by 62 percent.

It's also suggested that parents think twice before allowing their teen to be toted around by another teen driver. Your child doesn't need to be driving to be hurt in a teen car accident. Passengers are killed every day.

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