News

Car crashes are the #1 killer of teens in America today.  As you read the statistics below, keep in mind the most telling statistic of all:  according to a recent survey, 89% of teens said their parents have the biggest influence on how they drive. 

A Teen's Odds:

• Teen drives account for 12.6% of all drivers involved in fatal crashes.
• The fatal crash rates among 16-19 year olds is four times that of older drivers.
• Risk is the highest at age 16, when the fatal crash rate is 40% higher than for 18 year olds and 30% higher than for 19 year olds.

 Causes:

• Cell Phones
  • 56% of teens said they make and answer phone calls while driving.
  • Talking on a cell phone can double the likelihood of an accident and can slow a young driver's reaction time to that of a 70 year old.
  • 13% of teens said they read and respond to text messages while driving.
• Speeding
  • 17% of teens said speeding is fun.
  • 55% of teens said they exceed the speed limit by more than 10 mph
  • 26% of teens admitted to driving aggressively by exceeding the speed limit by more than 20 mph.
  • 69% of teens who speed said they do so because they want to keep up with traffic.
• Peer Pressure
  • 44% of teens said they drive more safely without friends in the car.
  • 67% of teens said they have felt unsafe when someone else was driving.
  • Only 45% said they would definitely speak up if someone were driving in a way that scared them.

* Statistics on teen views are from a recent Allstate Foundation Survey.

 Allies:

• Seat Belts
  • Wearing lap/shoulder belts can reduce the risk of dying in a crash by 45%.
  • Teens have the lowest rate of seat belt use.
• Curfews
  • More than 40% of teen auto deaths occur between the hours of 9pm and 6am.
  • Almost 60% of teens' night time auto deaths occur before midnight.