Teenagers’ Level of Maturity Interferes With Safe Driving Practices

Thu, Dec 10, 2009

Auto Insurance, Liability Insurance

Teen Drivers In Need Of Good Insurance

Teen Drivers In Need Of Good Insurance

As most of us realize, automobile accidents are the number one cause of death among teens ages 15 to 20. The lack of driving experience combined with teens’ level of maturity combine to make teens the riskiest of all drivers. Teenagers are severely lacking in their experience of recognition and response to a hazardous situation that may arise while they are driving. This oftentimes results in teens driving precariously by speeding or tailgating.

Night driving for teens can be another major contributing factor to the higher risk of crashing for young drivers and their passengers. More than any other time of day, teenagers are involved in auto accidents in late evening and at night. Another factor that increases the risk of accidents caused by teens? Having other teenagers present in the car; evidently the distraction is often too much, causing the teens to lose the necessary focus to keep the car from crashing.

Graduated Drivers License – or GDL – laws include a three-phase process that give teens the opportunity to develop the more mature driving attitudes, as well as the experience behind the wheel that they need to become more responsible drivers making the roads safer for us all. The GDL was instituted in Florida in 1996; most states have since enacted similar laws. Provisions of each states laws, however, may vary, so it may be necessary to check your own state’s GDL laws for specifics.

Hopefully, when all states have instituted stricter guidelines for obtaining and holding a driver’s license, fewer teen crashes will be the result. Until then, keep in mind that your teen is at a higher risk for an accident and be sure he or she is covered by the best insurance policy available; it seems likely you may need it.

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This post was written by:

Stacey Boothe Snelling - who has written 93 posts on InsuranceThought — Blogs About Insurance.

Stacey Boothe Snelling possesses both bachelor's and master's degrees in education and English as well as a professional proofreading certification. She began freelance writing, proofreading, and editing in early 2009.

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