For 15- to 20-year-olds, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death, accounting for approximately one-third of all deaths for this age group. The high crash-involvement rate for this age is primarily due to teen’s lack of maturity and driving experience coupled with their overconfidence and risk-taking behaviours. Some of the high risk behaviours include failure to wear safety belts, speeding, and driving while impaired (by alcohol or other drugs), drowsy, or distracted. Additionally, this age group is particularly susceptible to distractions, including other passengers in the vehicle and electronic devices. The National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS) worked with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to identify messages and communication strategies for counteracting these dangerous driving behaviours among teenage motorists and passengers between the ages of 15 and 18. While this study provided extensive insight into unsafe driving behaviours in teens, recommendations for messages and delivery systems, development efforts should not be based solely on focus group studies. More quantitative research should be conducted to determine the relationship between the unsafe behaviours identified in this study and traffic crashes for teens between the ages of 15 and 18. (Author/publisher)
Abstract