Reckless Teen Driving: Teenager’s Mistakes That Cause Their Accidents Essay Example

he was just concentrating on the road, the accident would have never happened. After this experience, I’ve been intrigued to learn more regarding reckless teen driving and in particular, the ways teenagers get involved in accidents. After my research, I’ve learned that teenagers allow themselves to be involved in terrible accidents because of distractions, immaturity, and sometimes drowsiness.

According to some statistics found on the web, “In the U. S. uring 2004, 4,767 teens ages 16 to 19 died of injuries caused by vehicle crashes… New drivers are four times more likely to be killed and 14 times more likely to be injured than any other group” (“Fatality Facts 2005; Teenagers”). A survey states one main reason why teenagers get involved in serious accidents is due to distractions while driving. The survey explains that the most common causes of distracted driving are the use of cell phones and talking with friends next to him/her or in the back seat (“Teen Unsafe Driving Behaviors: Focus Group Final Report”).When teens are talking on cell phones, their possibility of causing an accident increases dramatically because they fail to control the car in circumstances that demand concentration.

Some of these situations involve slippery roads and other careless drivers (“Teenage Driver Risks and Interventions”). Because of that, they are at risk, for they can not respond to these situations due to their lack of experience behind the wheel. The second cause of distracted driving, according to the article “Teen Unsafe Driving Behaviors: Focus Group Final Report,” is when the driver is talking to passengers in his/her car.The author of another article says that, “ [Young drivers] are being distracted for showing off

in front of their friends, and also friends do crazy things like covering up the driver’s eyes or tickling the driver just because it would be fun” (“Teenage Driver Risks and Interventions”). While jokes like these may seem fun at the time, they can result in serious accidents.

And as a website states, “Two out of three teens that die as passengers are in vehicles driven by other teenagers” (“Summary of Final Working Group Meeting: Teen Unsafe Driving Behaviors”).Teens need to understand that a car is not a toy. It’s very important for the driver to be fully concentrated on the road rather than joking with his/her friends. Driving is a serious act that demands responsibility and above all, maturity. Another cause of careless teenage behavior behind the wheel is teenagers’ lack of maturity (“Teenage Driver Risks and Interventions”).

They think they are untouchable; they don’t care about the consequences of their actions, so they speed dangerously on the roads or they even car race with their friends.And as the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said, “The immaturity is apparent in young drivers' risky driving practices such as speeding and tailgating” (“Fatality Facts 2005; Teenagers”). According to the Department of Health and Human Services, after an accident, the friends of young drivers don’t trust them behind the wheel any more, and the teenage drivers often suffer from psychological disorders, such as fear of being in cars (“Teen Drivers: Fact Sheet”). According to the article “Teens Behind the Wheel: Graduated Driver Licensing,” a third reason regarding incautious teen driving is drowsiness.There are a lot of reasons why teenagers feel sleepy while they are driving. Many teenagers are driving

late at night after parties, are going to school early in the morning, and often feel tired after a day full of homework or sports practice (“Teen Unsafe Driving Behaviors: Focus Group Final Report”).

Drowsiness while driving is more serious than many realize. Sleepiness fights somebody’s will to stay awake as he/she drives because it’s simply a physiological situation that he/she can’t escape. Through this research, I’ve absorbed much useful information about how teenagers get involved in car accidents.This problem affects thousands of families each year who lose children on the streets.

The loss of a child is devastating and could be prevented if teenagers would be more careful while driving. Now that I’ve learned the common mistakes that cause these terrible accidents, I can inform my friends about being distracted, being sleepy, or being really stupid and immature, and help prevent them from being in those situations. Each one of us must inform our friends and family about being more sensitive to this issue. We must rescue them from having the same experience as that friend of mine had.Most importantly, we must be the example for them.