YOUNG DRIVERS
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for 15-20 year olds. Young drivers are more likely to speed, and drink and drive, which is the why the percentage of teens involved in traffic crashes is higher than other age groups.
Sixty-five percent of teen passenger deaths occur when another teenage is driving. Two out of three teenagers killed in motor vehicle crashes are males.
Common Driving Errors
- Excessive speed
- Inattentiveness
- Distraction inside the vehicle
- Inadequate defensive driving techniques
- Incorrect assumptions about other drivers
- Tailgating or not leaving enough space between vehicles
DRIVING & PEER PRESSURE
Teenagers too often adopt driving behavior patterned on a cycle of risk and peer pressure. These teenagers begin driving with the dangerous habits that they have picked up from their peers, which often includes excessive speeding. These habits, while also followed by adults, are especially dangerous for teenagers. For example, a speeding adult may have the experience to correct their mistake, while the teenager may overreact to their mistake by suddenly losing control of the vehicle.
Peer pressure can make some young drivers take risks such as:
- Not wearing their safety belt
- Tailgating
- Passing incorrectly or unsafely
- Speeding
- Failing to obey traffic signals and signs
SPEED KILLS
- Increased speed = increased chance of losing control and crashing
- The force of impact is much greater at higher speeds
- At 40 m.p.h. the force is the same as driving off a 4-story building. At 60 m.p.h. it is like driving off a 9-story building.
- Just Imagine what would happen if you were in a crash at those speeds without a safety belt on.
DRINKING & DRIVING
For all Ohioans, the legal drinking age is 21. The law authorizes police to file charges against drivers under 21 who have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of at least .02 but less than .08.
The offense is called "Operating a Motor Vehicle After Underage Consumption." The penalties include a driver license suspension for 3 months to 2 years, a maximum of 30 days in jail or $250 fine and four points assessed to your license. The court may impose a remedial driving course as well. If you commit two violations within a 12-month period, you will receive a maximum of 60 days in jail, a maximum fine of $500, and a license suspension for 1 to 5 years.
In a recent year, 394 people were killed in alcohol-related crashes. Of those killed 20 percent were persons under the age of 21.
Using Fake Identification:
- If you are under 21 and present a false, fictitious or altered I.D. or driver license in an attempt to purchase beer or liquor, you could face a mandatory fine of $250-$1000 and jail time up to six months for the first offense.
- In a recent year, 333 youths were charged with using false identification
SAFETY BELTS
Seat belts are the single most effective safety device in preventing serious injuries and reducing fatalities in motor vehicle crashes. Seat belts reduce the risk of fatal injury by 45 percent and reduce the risk of serious injury by 50 percent.
Nationally, seat belts are estimated to have prevented more than 164,750 deaths despite our very modest safety belt usage rates over the years.
Approximately 79 percent of Americans wear their safety belts.
- In a recent year, 66 percent of teens ages 15-18 killed in motor vehicle crashes were not wearing safety belts.
- Failure to buckle up contributes to more fatalities than any other single traffic safety-related behavior
- Safety belts are designed so that the forces in a crash are absorbed by the strongest areas of your body - the bones of your hips, shoulders, and chest