Who Causes Car Accidents? The Data Will Surprise You.
Seniors vs. Teens
TeensWe expect mistakes from young drivers, but the first few years are pretty risky. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), drivers ages 16-19 are three times more likely to crash than drivers over 20. These novice drivers cause significantly more car accidents than seniors: The United States Census Bureau calculates 12.2 percent of car accidents are the responsibility of teen drivers while 7.5 percent of accidents are caused by drivers over 65.
That reality may be changing. All 50 states have adopted a Graduated Drivers Licensing GDL programs, helping to effectively reduce teen accidents. Meanwhile advocacy groups like Teen Driver Source and Distraction.gov are working to raise awareness about chronic risk factors including cell phone use, passenger distraction, impulsive/aggressive road behavior, impaired driving and lack of seatbelt use.
Fewer young people are getting their driver’s licenses and when they do, they are driving fewer miles. The life expectancy for car-dependent seniors, however, is steadily increasing. Impairments associated with aging – including slow response time and compromised vision and hearing – could have a staggering effect on road safety.
http://www.trafficsafetystore.com/blog/who-causes-accidents/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=who-causes-accidents
