Why are Teen Drivers Considered so High Risk?

Many teens and their parents cringe when confronted with the cost of obtaining auto insurance. How could the rates be so high when Emily or Ethan hasn’t even driven yet? They’re very responsible young adults, and promise to be careful drivers and obey all the laws.

The problem with that is, whatever their intentions, most teen drivers get behind the wheel of a car and think they can handle any situation, when in fact they cannot due to inexperience and poor driving habits. Many of them speed, text or talk on a cell phone, oblivious to the dangers, and don’t know how to handle unusual driving situations when they suddenly appear. Statistics bear this out; auto crashes are the leading cause of death among people 13-19 years old. Analyses of fatal crashes indicate that when it involves teen drivers, it’s more likely than not to be driver’s error. Furthermore, the crash risk among young drivers is particularly high during the first few months of getting a license.

Teenagers' fatal crashes are more likely to involve speeding than those of older drivers, and teenagers are more likely than drivers of other ages to be in single-vehicle fatal crashes. In addition, teenagers do more of their driving in smaller and older cars and at night than adults. In 2010, 17 percent of teenagers' deaths occurred between 9 p.m. and midnight, and nearly one in four (24%) occurred between midnight and 6 a.m. 55 percent of teenagers' fatalities occurred on Friday, Saturday or Sunday, when weekends mean hanging out with other teens.

Not surprisingly, alcohol also contributes to the high rate of accidents involving teenagers. Among teenage drivers (16-19 years old) who were fatally injured in 2010, 26 percent of males and 19 percent of females had high Blood Alcohol Content (0.08 percent or higher), even though every state has a legal minimum alcohol purchasing age of 21 and a zero BAC threshold for teenage drivers.

At SAV-ON Insurance Agencies, we'd like to help you get the most affordable insurance possible. As an agency, we have more than 30 insurance companies to choose from, and can usually find you the best rate available. Call us at 888-867-2866 or go to www.sav-on.com and find out how much money we could save you!

Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety