LTI’s Teen Driving Awareness Blog Series: Part 1

By T Nyland, 10/22/18

There is a current epidemic sweeping across America, taking eleven teen lives each day and rapidly consuming more each year. It has no feelings towards what socioeconomic status you have, or what race you are, but every year, it is getting more powerful, claiming the lives of more teens.

Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for teens between the ages of 15 and 18 within the United States – ahead of all other types of injury, disease or violence.

Taking our Teens Too Early: The Epidemic Sweeping America

Texting and driving impacts teens more than anyone else

One out of every 4 of these car accidents are due to a driver texting. Texting while driving is a popular habit in the United States. A recent study published in the “Journal of Adolescent Health,” conducted by an Ohio State Doctoral Student discovered that two in five teenagers’ text while driving, those aged 14 and older (This study looked at Youth Risk Behavior Survey data that was retained from 35 states).

However, it is likely that these numbers are much higher than indicated. Texting has been the sole focus in many studies, not factoring in changing music, looking at your GPS, taking a selfie, making a call, or any other activity on your phone that can be a distraction to a driver.

While there are many states that have put laws in place for hands-free, bans or citations regarding the use of a cell phone while driving, statistics show that while teens know it is dangerous, they still do it anyways.