Car accidents can result in serious injuries and even fatalities, and teen drivers seem to face the most risks on the road. Car accidents still remain a leading cause of death for teenagers in the United States, but a new report found that teens in Massachusetts are getting into fewer car accidents compared to six years ago.
Teen drivers in Massachusetts are involved in fewer accidents than in the past. This is good news. The Massachusetts Transportation Department reported that teen drivers were in more than 6,400 car accidents in 2012, much less than the 12,673 accidents involving teens in 2006.
What has led to the decrease in car accidents among 16 and 17-year-old drivers in the state? State officials said that the requirements for new drivers are stricter and are making teen drivers more cautious behind the wheel. The penalties associated with violating teen driving restrictions in Massachusetts could also be playing a role in fewer car accidents as teen drivers are monitoring their driving behavior to avoid traffic citations.
Another reason teen car accidents have reduced could be due to having fewer teen drivers on the road. Reports show that fewer teenagers are getting their drivers licenses in Massachusetts. The number of teens with driver’s licenses has decreased by 25 percent since 2006.
The fact that fewer teenagers are getting into car accidents is a step in the right direction. It shows that state laws on graduated driver licensing requirements and more enforcement of obeying these laws can help prevent car accidents among new drivers.
Source: WWLP, “Fewer teen car accidents in Mass.,” David McKay, Nov. 6, 2013
