A new report by State Farm and the Center for Injury
Research and Prevention at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia reveals that
teen driving fatalities have declined 47% over the last 6 years. Other
victories in teen driver safety identified in the report include a 14% decline
in the number of teen passengers being driven by peers who had been drinking
and a 23% decline in the number of teen passengers killed in crashes who were
not wearing seat belts.
However, many common teen driving risks persist.
Driving under the influence of alcohol remains a critical
factor in teen car crashes, with 41% of teens killed in crashes having a blood
alcohol level greater than 0.01. Similarly, 8% of teens admitted to having
recently driven a car after drinking.
Speeding is another common cause of teen car crashes. The
report found that in 2011, 52% of teen drivers killed in crashes were speeding.
Cell phone use while driving also contributed to teen car
crashes, and 33% of teens said they had recently texted or sent an e-mail while
driving.