Many teenage drivers across Georgia and the rest of the United States enjoy having friends accompany them in the car, but if those friends are also teenagers, their presence poses a notable danger. Research shows that when teenage drivers have teenage passengers in their cars, the presence of the teen passenger increases the odds of that driver’s involvement in a fatal wreck.
According to TeenDriverSource.org, the risks teen passengers create for teen motorists are substantial.
How teenage passengers impact wreck risks
Data shows that when a driving teenager has another teenager along for the ride, the teen passenger being there raises the odds of a fatal crash by 56%. Research also shows that the risks increase when more passengers are present. When a teen motorist has one teenage passenger in the car, it doubles the chances of any wreck, whether fatal or non-fatal, taking place. When a teenage driver has two or more passengers in the car, their presence triples the odds of a wreck.
Why teenage passengers pose a danger to teen drivers
Teenage passengers are often a serious source of distraction for teenage motorists. Sometimes, they might distract ten drivers simply by speaking to them or interacting with other people in the vehicle. Studies also suggest that some teenage drivers are more likely to engage in risky driving behaviors, such as speeding or driving under the influence, when their peers are present, and this, too, enhances crash risks.
Parents who are raising teenagers and teaching them safe driving habits may want to restrict new drivers from having their peers in the car until they gain more behind-the-wheel experience.