Teen Driving in Atlanta : The Results of a Surprising New Study

Researchers at the University of Texas have been studying the causes of teen driving accidents. They looked at such factors as the time day the accident occurred, the number of passengers in the vehicle, the type of vehicle, and the severity of injuries in auto accidents to see if they could determine what factors cause teen accidents and whether such accidents could be prevented.
 
Some of the findings were not surprising; drinking and driving increases a teens risk of being in a crash.  Other findings were not as intuitive.  For instance, driving a pickup puts teenagers at far higher risk of injury than driving a car.  Why?
 
Many pickup trucks have powerful engines.  The extra capability seems to lead to aggressive driving among teenagers.  And, older pickup trucks also lack the safety features of smaller vehicles. 
 
Other surprising findings:
 
1.  Many graduated license laws limit new drivers to one teen passenger, but the study found that driving with one young passenger is riskier than driving alone or with two teen passengers
 
2. Young drivers are most aggressive during the morning commute hours.  This may be because students are worried about being late for school.
 
3. Sixteen-year-olds and 17-year-olds are more likely to be aggressive drivers than drivers ages 18-20.
 
Speak to your teen about safe driving.  Atlanta personal injury attorney Shane Smith represents the families of teens killed in Atlanta car crashes. To learn more or schedule a free consultation, contact Shane Smith Law at 770-HURT-999.