Speeding was one of the top mistakes made by teen drivers in fatal crashes across the country in the past five years, according to an AAA report.
The report, released on Wednesday, states that teen drivers were involved in approximately 14,000 fatal crashes in the last five years—out of which 4,200 involved speeding.
“Nearly two-thirds of people injured or killed in a crash involving a teen driver are people other than the teen,” said Bill Van Tassel, AAA’s manager of Driver Training Operations.
According to the report, 65 percent of driving instructors responded in a survey that parents are not preparing their kids to be good drivers, compared to 10 years ago. Instructors said teens also picked up certain behaviors from their parents, such as using their cell phones while driving or speeding 15 mph more than the posted limit.
“Most teens are learning important driving skills from watching their parents and they are picking up bad behaviors along with the good ones. So it’s up to today’s parents to set a good example. It may end up saving their children’s lives,” said Jennifer Ryan, Director of State Relations for AAA.
Approximately 77 percent of drivers between the ages of 35 to 55 stated in a recent survey that they talked on the phone while driving. The survey, taken by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, also showed that 68 percent of teen drivers said they were distracted with their phones while driving.
AAA advised parents to set a good example and speak to their teens about the dangers of speeding and distracted driving. The organization also reccommended teaching teens how to drive under various conditions and setting rules to follow while on the road.
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Teens should also be enrolled in qualified driver education programs, for which you can find more information here.
