Drivers of all ages cause crashes, but teenagers have a reputation for being the most dangerous of all. Statistics back this up, with drivers aged 16-19 having a crash rate four times higher than average. If you break it down further, 16-17 year olds are the worst drivers of all.
What explains this? After all – if you’ve ever tried to play video games with a teenager, you’ll know they have faster reactions than most adults, and despite the hours they spend staring at screens, their eyesight is stronger than many older people.
It’s mainly down to inexperience
No one is born knowing how to drive, and no one magically becomes an expert driver as soon as they get their license. It takes years of practice to become truly skilled. Teenager drivers have not acquired enough on-road experience yet, and just as a newbie is more likely to make a mistake at work, so a teenager is more likely to make a mistake on the road. The difference is that most mistakes at work can’t injure or kill people.
Lack of maturity is also a factor
Let’s face it. When you were 16, you probably did some things you would never even consider doing now that you are older and wiser. It’s the same for most people. Teenage drivers are more prone to experiment and explore the limits than someone older, especially if they have a bunch of friends in the car egging them on.
While you might accept that we all make mistakes when we are young, you still have the right to claim compensation if a teenage driver injures you in a crash.