Wednesday, June 6, 2001
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Wednesday, June 6, 2001 |
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National group draws attention to teen driving risks This week has been proclaimed Teen Driving Safety Week by the National Safety Council. The group is trying to increase awareness of the dangers associated with young, inexperienced drivers behind the wheel. "No matter how well they've prepared them, parents have always had mixed feelings about handing over the car keys to their newly-licensed teens," said Cathy Anton, director of the NSC's Orlando, Fla., chapter. "On the positive side, the teens' independence is a pleasure to see. And the new licenses usually give parents more independence too, relieving them of a good deal of chauffeuring responsibilities. But that's when the worrying starts." Statistically, teens make up less than 7 percent of the nation's licensed drivers, but they are involved in 14 percent of all fatal crashes, according to the NSC. Also, 65 percent of all teen passenger deaths occur when another teenager is behind the wheel. The risk increases once darkness sets in, between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m., as 41 percent of all fatal crashes involving teens occur during that time frame.
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