Traffic accidents leading cause of death for American teens
The Centers for Disease Control has issued a report stating that serious car accidents are the leading cause of death for teens in the United States. Over a third of all teenage deaths can be attributed to traffic accidents.
According to the report, over 16,000 teens die each year from car accident injuries. That equals about a third of all teenage deaths, beating out the other leading causes of death including non-car related accidents, homicide, suicide, cancer and heart disease. Accidents in general, both car related and not, are to blame for over half of all teen fatalities.
The numbers also show that male teens are much more likely to be killed in a traffic accident than female teens. At 16, males are about twice as likely to be in a fatal car accident and that disparity only widens as they get older. By 19, males are three times as likely to be killed in a car crash.
While the numbers are disheartening, especially since the loss of life of among teens is a such a tragic occurrence, there is room for optimism. Car accidents are a preventable cause of death. Safety advance through the years have done a pretty good job at preventing serious accidents. No advances in car engineering or safety technology will ever take the place of responsible driving. Teens need to receive plenty of practice in a supervised setting before being on the road on their own. Parents need to make sure to pass on safe driving tips and a encourage their children not to engage in risky or negligent driving practices.
Here in Missouri, state laws have also stepped in to try and prevent these tragic accidents. The graduated license system was implemented in the last decade and in just the last year, teens were banned from texting while driving.
