Teen Drivers Involved in Fatal Crashes Often Take Others With Them

Teenage drivers are involved in a considerably higher rate of accidents than older drivers due to a number of factors, most notably their inexperience, speeding and being distracted while driving. While that growing statistic is alarming, what is tragic is the number of young lives cut short by the fatal accidents they are involved in. Even more devastating is the fact that frequently these young drivers take others with them when they are involved in a deadly vehicle crash.

The most recent figures available from the Institute of Highway Safety reflect this, and point to the fact that restricting passengers in teen driver's cars will help lower the death toll on our highways.

In 2008, Washington state had 34 drivers aged 15 to 20-years-old killed in auto accidents. But, also killed in those accidents were 21 passengers who were in the car, 17 occupants of other vehicles involved in the crash, and five people who weren't even in a car. That's 77 lives that were lost in one year involving teenage drivers in our state!

And Washington state isn't even one of the worst states for fatal teen accidents, ranking only 24th in 2008. Texas gets that grim distinction, with a total of 650 people dying in accidents that year involving teenage drivers. California was a close second, with 593 deaths.

In the United States in 2008, 6,428 people were killed in accidents involving teen drivers, with 2,739 of those young drivers dying in the accidents.

With those ghastly statistics in mind, legislators around the country have tightened restrictions on young drivers in an attempt to stem the carnage on U.S. highways.

For a complete list, by state, click here.

Source: National Institute of Highway Safety