In the United States, on an average day, there will be about ten car crashes that involved teenagers.  Some days claim more lives.  And the worst day so far was in November 1, 2003, when 26 teenagers were killed.  The families of these dead teenagers grieve for lives that could have had bright futures.  Some have a difficult time moving on.  But what could be the reason for these tragic incidents?  There are several conditions that when brought together, will most probably lead to a car accident.

One condition is that the brain of a sixteen-year-old driver has not yet reached full maturity.  According to a new medical research by the National Institutes of Health, the part of the brain that is supposed to weigh risks and to control impulses will reach full maturity only when a person reaches the age of 25.  This is why teenagers make many driving errors, drive beyond speed limits, run off roads into ditches and trees, and roll their cars.  An adult driver will now how to swerve, a teen driver will not.  Yet, some states allow sixteen-year-olds to drive and these places have a high death toll of teen auto crashes.

A second condition is that there are other teen passengers.  Teenagers like to try new things.  They are exhilarated by fast driving.  And they enjoy the thrill of facing danger.  This condition worsens when there is another male teen passenger.  Male teen drivers like to impress their girlfriends and show that they can outdo the other male teen in the group.  According to an insurance institute, male teen drivers are about seventy fie percent more likely to be involved in fatal car crashes than female teen drivers.

A third condition is that the teen drivers drive at night.  Adults recognize that it is more dangerous to drive at night.  It is harder to see the road, the pedestrians, and the objects that need to be avoided.  There are also more reckless drivers at night.   Teen drivers are not always cognizant of these dangers.  And since they are less experienced, they are prone to making driving errors in the dark. According the same institute, sixteen-year-old drivers die at night at twice the rate at daytime.

And the fourth condition is that the teen drivers are using unsuitable cars.  Ideally, inexperienced drivers such as teenagers, should be driving cars that are least likely to roll and offer the greatest protection when they crash.  Unfortunately, safety is not the top feature of cars that teen drivers choose.  Teens like SUVs which easily rolls over.  And teens often use small cars that ended up smashed when hit by larger vehicles.

Parents should be aware of these conditions that may endanger their teen driver.  The laws of the government are not enough to protect the teenagers.  Thus, the parents themselves must educate their teens.