2 of 3

Write now Article Tools

The issues for teenage drivers ending up in fatal accidents are a combination of factors. They are: inexperience, an inability to perceive consequences from actions, especially in teenage boys, over confidence, peer pressure and alcohol or drugs. A study on teen drivers in New Zealand recently revealed some interesting facts about the teenage brain and offers practical solutions to teenage drivers' high accident and death rates.

According to information on the Insurance Information Institute website and statistics it gathered from the US Department of Transportation, teenagers make up 12.9 percent of all fatal accidents and 16 percent of all total crashes. It is the leading cause of death amongst 15-20 year olds and involves not just the teens themselves, but of course frequently any friends traveling with them and other motorists too.

A significant part of the problem for teenage drivers actually stems from their cognitive development at the age when most are earning their license for the first time. You could compare the issue with the incident of a young child who chases a ball out into the street who, transfixed with chasing the ball, is oblivious to the traffic hazards around them. Physiologically children are known not to have the full faculty of peripheral vision and are highly vulnerable in such situations where their cognitive abilities limit accurate threat assessment in complex situations. It's every parent's nightmare and according to some recent studies in New Zealand, teenagers are similarly at risk.

Psychologists at the University of Waikato (pronounced why-catto) explored international findings that suggested teenage brains are not sufficiently developed to accurately assess threats or modify risk taking behavior. Chief researcher on the study, Dr Robert Isler pointed out that, "The brain's frontal lobe is responsible for cognitive functions that control life-saving behaviour such as emotion regulation, hazard anticipation and risk management," he said. "Yet brain imaging studies show this lobe does not fully develop until drivers are 25." (nzherald.co.nz)

The study also suggested that whilst it did not take long for teens to gather an ability to drive the vehicle, mastering vehicle handling could give them a false sense of security and control. Just because they have control of the vehicle does not mean they are necessarily better drivers in terms of their risk assessment, as Dr Isler says, "It normally takes much longer to learn related cognitive

• 1
• 2
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about Issues with fatal accidents caused by teen drivers?
We want to hear your view. Write now!