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Teen Passengers Pose Danger to Teen Drivers

Distracted driving is a huge problem. Car accidents happen every day in Georgia and throughout the United States due to cell phone use and other distractions. The consequences of distracted driving are the greatest for teen drivers, who are four times as likely as adult drivers to be involved in fatal car accidents.

Studying teen driving habits is important in keeping our kids safe. In fact, traffic accidents are the leading cause of death of teenagers in this country. The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and State Farm Insurance recently sponsored two studies to explore the causes and consequences of teen distracted driving.

According to study author Dr. Allison Curry, teen passengers are the biggest distraction to teen drivers, and also the biggest contributors to teen car crashes. “Passengers may contribute to crashes by distracting the driver and promoting risky driving behaviors, such as speeding, tailgating, or weaving," Dr. Curry said.

By surveying teens who had been involved in serious car accidents, researchers found that both male and female drivers with passengers in the car are twice as likely to be distracted before a crash. Males with passengers in the car are also twice as likely as drivers with no passengers to drive aggressively.

Dr. Curry recommends strict rules limiting the number of passengers a new teen driver can have in his or her vehicle. Georgia law reflects some of these suggestions. For instance, a new driver is prohibited from having any passengers, other than immediate family members, in the car for the first six months after getting a driver's license. For the next six months after that, new teen drivers are limited to no more than three non-family passengers under the age of 21.

Dr. Curry's recommendations are even stricter than Georgia law; she advises only allowing one passenger for the second six month period after a new driver receives a license. Parents can help keep teens safe by prohibiting and limiting peer passengers until the teen driver is more experienced.

Click here to learn 4 Great Tips to Stop Texting and Driving.

Ty Wilson is a Georgia distracted lawyer who strives to educate the public on distracted driving and the topic of personal injury. Visit TyWilsonLaw.com to read his many articles, blog posts, watch his videos and order his FREE books and reports.

If you have specific questions about Georgia personal injury claims, call Ty at 1-888-689-5224.