Teen crash victims : who are these people and why are they here?

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death, serious injury, and long-term disability for US teenagers and indeed adolescents throughout the developed world. The article by Gonzales et al (See ST 20050165 fo) gives an insight into the causal factors of teen drivers involved in fatal crashes in Colorado. As a group, their risk-taking behaviour differs markedly from that of older drivers aged between 25 and 49 years. The danger of inexperience is amply reflected in the literature about teen drivers. It is true that teenagers, in general, have more acute senses, better reaction times, and faster reflexes. However, none of this compensates for the poor judgment and decision errors that come from inexperience. Although younger teen drivers have the highest crash rates of all age groups, the crash risk among novice drivers decreases sharply over the first 12 months and the first 1,500 miles of driving. Teens are immature drivers. Maturity is a function of time and experience. Because one cannot compress time or accelerate experience, what can be done? Several interventions have value, but none exists in isolation. It is explained why driver education training is controversial. The desire to provide a more effective transition to an unrestricted license gave rise to the idea of graduated driver licensing for teens. Most graduated driver licensing systems attempt to minimize the exposure of novice drivers to high-risk situations. The two most recognized are transporting teen passengers and nighttime driving, both of which increase the risk of a fatal crash by several fold. Like seat belt laws, the legislative underpinnings for graduated driver licensing programs vary widely among states. Throughout the USA, state legislatures are meeting. Many are undoubtedly considering laws pertaining to teen driving. Emergency physicians have an opportunity to influence these discussions and ensure that each and every novice teen driver has a safe transition to adulthood and not a tragic detour to an emergency department (ED).