Joyriding: Causes And Consequences Of Teenage Driving

Teen car wrecks are tragic and happen way too often, vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teens in America. In 2013 alone more than 2,163 teens, ages 16-19 were killed and 243,243 were treated in hospitals for injuries due to vehicle crashes. That means six teens died every day as a result of motor vehicle crashes.

Statistics show the percent of sixteen year olds that got into an accident was significantly less than those of twenty-five year olds. Many states, however are concerned for the safety of teens and believe that driving should be raised to eighteen as a minimum age. The age requirement for teen drivers should not be raised because it increases responsibility skills, and allows teenagers to have more experience in driving.

Conformity is often an effect of peer pressure. Especially in teens, peer pressure is very prominent, and submission occurs from a teens’ need to belong within a group or community. “Adults and adolescents often adjust their behaviour and opinions to peer groups, even when they themselves know better....In the current study, the researchers found that children conformed their public judgment of a situation to the judgment of a majority of peers in spite better knowledge” (Disclosing par. 2). Even at a young age, people are striving for acceptance through normality. Humans are scared of conflict and to avoid it will agree with topics that they truly oppose. Students are meant to be able to go against the crowd and disagree with the majority in their classes, but most tend to follow the crowd in fear of rejection. They need to be taught that they will not always agree with the popular selection and to speak for themselves, which is often seen in fictitious literature (such as in the popular novel 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher). “Teens are five times likelier to be in a car accident when in a group than when driving alone, and likelier to commit a crime or drink alcohol when with a group of peers” (Temple University). Peer pressure is more common within the

Speeding is becoming an increasingly large problems among teenage drivers. from 2000 to 2011 accidents caused by speeding increased from thirty to thirty three percent.The leading cause of death in teenagers is automobile accidents. (NHTSA) Seventy five percent of teen drivers crash due to critical errors like going to fast for road conditions. Speeding is a primary cause in a third of fatal crashes involving teen drivers, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA). Speeding is becoming a major issue in all age groups not just teens.

By taking a hands off of the wheel, it can put others in danger. Some people think that driving without hands on the wheel is cool. But it is extremely dangerous to others. By the shape of the road, by how strong the wind is, if the car's tires aren’t balanced, or the car is not aligned correctly. It can pull the car to the side or the middle of the road. Not only is taking a hand off bad, but having something else in their hand to make the situation worse. Like a sandwich or a phone, that is one less hand a person can use to help guide the car. By taking an eye off of the road for more than 5 seconds going 55 mph, that is the length of a football field. That puts others in danger for 5 seconds, and those 5 seconds could be catastrophic. Distracted Manual driving is one of the leading causes in automobile accidents.

When a person drives over the speed limit, it causes a greater chance for accidents than if they did not speed. Speeding is a major factor in a majority of all the wrecks that are fatal. Speeding above the speed limit is very dangerous. Speeding reduces the ability of a vehicle to stop in a time it would be able to if one had not been speeding. Taking more time to stop increases the chance of an accident, as well as the impact of the crash if an accident happens. Although drivers have been worn of the different dangers of speeding, they still speed over the speed limit.

“Driving just fine? You’ve been swerving into the other lanes and hitting the rumble strips! You can’t even drive in a straight line. May I remind you that you almost hit an overpass?” My forehead was growing hot, and I could feel it spread to my cheeks. I leaned over the center console and turned the air-conditioning on full blast again.

Picture 15 and a half year olds sitting in a lobby waiting to take a test to get their temps. They get their temps, walk out, and post it on every social media they have. They can 't wait to tell everyone in person. Now take that and add two years to it. If the minimum driving age is raised these teens will have to wait longer to get their temps. Not only will they have to wait longer, but they will not get the taste of freedom or adulthood most people want. The minimum driving age should stay 16 because drivers are more responsible, have more freedom and its easier on parents.

Most people throughout the Bay Area are aware of the risks posed by speeding, drunk driving and other negligent behaviors. Often, however, they overlook the potential hazards of driving while drowsy. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, drowsy driving accidents resulted in about 800 deaths in 2013, and many more suffered serious injuries. Based on one study, drivers across the U.S. regularly get behind the wheel while overly fatigued.

Being on the road and driving a car can be very dangerous. There are many

One of the biggest perks of being a teenager is being able to drive. When a teenager begins to drive, they are happy and feel like they have more freedom. However, the dangers of teenage driving are higher than ever. According to the California Department of Motor Vehicles, “Vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for 15-20 year-olds” (“California”). Teenage drivers create many dangerous distractions when behind the wheel of a vehicle. These distractions usually occur in three different areas: visual, cognitive, and manual.

Many teens are killed daily because of motor vehicle accidents.This not only affects the teens but their families too. According to www.cdc.gov, 48% of teens deaths are caused by accidents. The amount of teen deaths could ultimately be lowered if the driving age was changed. Many teens are irresponsible and could be the cause of car accidents. According to www.edgarnyder.com, 56% of teens talk on the phone while driving and 34% text while driving. At twenty-one years of age people are most likely more responsible and less likely to be liable for irresponsible accidents. Changing the legal driving age will not only lower the teen death rate but lower insurance paid by parents and guardians. If the driving age is raised teens and parents will

A great number of young lives are tragically cut short every year, in one of the leading causes of death in the world: car accidents. Soon after obtaining their permit at just sixteen, a large amount of teens end up making a fatal mistake while driving and lose their lives. America, understandably concerned with the death rate, has since implemented stricter laws regarding obtaining a driver’s license, and many are considering raising the minimum driving age. Throughout time, young age has always been correlated with recklessness and carelessness, and it would be sensible to take that into account when taking a stance on such a dangerous issue as car accidents. In order to increase safety and reduce death, it would be prudent to raise the minimum driving age.

I think they should change the age limit to 18 – 21. Why? Because there less at risk for accidents. One reason is high risk at drinking, also known for high risks of accidents. My third opinion is because they go over the speed limit. Even though parents and others try to make their kids realize that they don’t need to drive, but they do anyway. The parents just want their kids safe so I wouldn’t mind them raising the age limit.

Since the early 2000 's, cell phone related car crashes have increased in number. Talking, texting, or merely glancing at a cell phone while being behind the wheel is a dangerous distraction while going 70, 50, or even 20 miles per hour. This is why I think that driving while using a handheld cellphone should be illegal. Talking on a cellphone is just as dangerous as texing, though some motorists would disagree, saying that talking on a cellphone is not as dangerous as texting, but they are very wrong. When a driver is concentrating on a conversation, they pay less attention to what is going on around them in favor of the voice in their ear. This can result in being rear-ended, sideswiped, driving off the road and ending up in a ditch,