Girls & Car Crashes
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Comment| Wednesday, May 30th, 2007 | Emily Halevy | CWK Producer |
“Unfortunately, we are seeing young females imitate or become more aggressive drivers, and because of that, their rates are going to be coming up pretty equal to what young male drivers’ [rates] are.”
– Bob Wilson, National Safety Council
Jenny Hall considers herself a “good” driver, but she says she feels safer with a boy behind the wheel.
“I’ve driven with a lot of guys and I’ve driven with a lot of girls, and girls just scare me!” she says.
In fact, girl drivers are scarier than they used to be. According to the University of California/Irvine, girls are getting into more automobile crashes and fatal wrecks than 10 years ago, while the accident rates for boys have remained about the same.
“Unfortunately, we are seeing young females imitate or become more aggressive drivers, and because of that, their rates are going to be coming up pretty equal to what young male drivers’ [rates] are,” explains Bob Wilson, National Safety Council.
Today, girls are also more likely to drink and drive, drive while talking on a cell phone and not wear a seatbelt than a few years ago.
What can parents do to help keep their children safe? Experts say that before teenagers – both girls and boys – are allowed to drive, parents need to ask a tough question: how responsible is my child?
“I think a youngster’s level of responsibility in a variety of areas needs to be determined before they even get their learner’s permit,” advises psychologist Betsy Gard.
And before teenagers drive on their own, parents need to drive with their children.
“The more hours the better, with that young daughter or son in the car, in different driving situations — expressway, city streets, night-time driving when it’s raining — all different types of situations,” says Wilson.
Jenny has had one fender-bender since she’s been driving. She hopes that with more experience she’ll become a better driver.
“We all have to start somewhere,” she laughs.
Tips for Parents
- Motor vehicle crashes continue to be the leading cause of death for 16- to 20-year-olds, accounting for approximately 5,500 fatalities and 450,000 injuries annually. (American Academy of Pediatrics)
- Teenagers (16- to 19-year-olds) are involved in crashes more than four times as often as drivers 30 and older. Many teenage crashes are caused by inexperience, inadequate practice time and judgment errors, not just from speeding and irresponsible risk-taking. (American Academy of Pediatrics)
- Delaying getting a driver’s license can be beneficial. If possible, have your teenager wait until age 17. Research shows that 16-year-old drivers crash at much higher rates than older teens. (Len Pagano, Safe America Foundation)
- Do not factor in your own convenience when deciding whether or not your teenager is mature enough to handle a driver’s license. (Ted Waldbart, Safe America Foundation)
- It is a good idea to put into writing the rules a new driver must follow. Have your teenagers sign a driving contract that spells out the rules and consequences. (Ted Waldbart, Safe America Foundation). You can find sample contracts on the Internet by searching “safe youth driving contracts.” Example sites include www.ipromiseprogram.com and www.usaaedfoundation.org/KEYS.asp.
- Strictly forbid your teenager from using a cell phone while driving. If your teen breaks this rule, revoke his or her driving privileges. (Ted Waldbart, Safe America Foundation)
- Many states require teenagers to log at least 30 hours of supervised driving before getting a license. The National Safety Council recommends at least 50 hours. (Robert J. Wilson, National Safety Council)
- When teenagers first get a license, they should avoid carrying passengers — even siblings. Although most states do allow teenagers to drive with family members, statistics show that any passengers increase the chances that a teenager will get into a fatal accident. (Robert J. Wilson, National Safety Council)
- At a minimum, parents should place restrictions on nighttime driving and the number of passengers. (American Academy of Pediatrics)
- When your teenager is ready to drive with passengers, start slowly. Driving one passenger increases the risk that a teenager will get into a fatal accident by 50 percent. Having three passengers increases the risk by 400 percent. (Robert J. Wilson, National Safety Council)
References
- Georgia Psychological Association
- National Safety Council
- University of California/Irvine
