When you look at fatal accident rates across different age groups, one trend becomes clear: Teenagers pose the greatest risk. Drivers between the ages of 16 and 19 have the highest fatal accident rate. While the rate remains high for drivers in their 20s, it does start to decline with age.
Each individual accident may involve unique factors. One teen driver might be impaired, another may be distracted and another may be speeding or driving aggressively. These are all common causes of serious accidents. But why does this age group consistently have the highest fatal accident rate overall? Are there underlying causes that make young drivers more prone to these dangerous mistakes?
They lack experience
One of the biggest contributing factors, according to researchers, is inexperience. A 16-year-old may have only been driving for a few months. Even a 19-year-old may have just a few years of driving experience. They simply haven’t spent much time behind the wheel or accumulated enough hours on the road. Their skills are still developing, and that process takes time.
As teens learn, they often make avoidable errors. They might drive too fast for the conditions because they’re unfamiliar with how to adjust. They may overestimate their own abilities. Some may not know how to maintain a safe following distance, unintentionally tailgating others and increasing the risk of a collision.
The challenge with inexperience is that the only real solution is time—and more time on the road increases the risk to everyone. Those who have lost loved ones or suffered serious injuries in crashes involving teen drivers should understand their legal options and what steps to take moving forward.