The combination of lack of experience, the feeling when one is young that one is invincible and the distractions one has with in-car entertainment and mobile phones all conspire against young drivers and the main reason for motor vehicle accidents and fatalities.
Distraction a growing factor in young driver crashes
An analysis of New York state data shows a rise in the percentage of teen driver accidents in which police have reported driver distraction as a contributing factor.
Not surprisingly, driver inexperience is also more common in teen crashes than among the overall driving population, according to data from the state Department of Motor Vehicles.
In 2007 and 2008, speeding was reported as a factor in the greatest percentage of crashes resulting in injury or death among drivers age 16-17 and 16-20 (the two age groups for which the DMV breaks down data on young drivers).
In 2009, driver distraction and inattention topped speeding as a factor in the most crashes for the 16-20 age group. Failure to yield the right of way was the most frequently cited factor for drivers in crashes in the 16-17 age group, followed by driver inattention.
