When we discuss “distracted driving,” we're normally talking about people texting or talking on their cell phones. But when it comes to teenagers, other passengers in the car may be just as big a distraction.
A pair of studies by the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and State Farm Insurance identify factors that may lead teens to drive with multiple peer passengers and, then, how those passengers may affect their driver’s behavior just before a serious crash.
The studies were published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.
The studies were prompted by findings that having friends in the car can increase a teen's risk of an accident. What hasn't been that well understood is how.
“These studies help us understand the factors that may predispose teens to drive with multiple friends and how those passengers may contribute to crashes by distracting the driver and promoting risky driving behaviors, such as speeding, tailgating, or weaving,” said study author Allison Curry, PhD, director of epidemiology at the Center for Injury Research and Prevention. “Knowing this, we can develop programs that work in tandem with current Graduated Driver Licensing laws that limit the number of passengers for teens during their first year of driving.”
Thrill-seekers
The first study profiled teen drivers and found those most likely to drive with a carload of friends considered themselves “thrill-seekers,” obviously not a good combination. Futher, they perceived their parents as not setting rules or monitoring their whereabouts, and possessed a weak perception of the risks associated with driving in general.
“The good news is that that these teens make up the minority,” said Jessica Mirman, PhD, study author and a behavioral researcher. “Teens in this study generally reported strong perceptions of the risks of driving, low frequencies of driving with multiple passengers, and strong beliefs that their parents monitored their behavior and set rules.”
The second study analyzed teen drivers involved in serious accidents.
“Both male and female teen drivers with peer passengers were more likely to be distracted just before a crash as compared to teens who crashed while driving alone,” Curry said. “Among the teens who said they were distracted by something inside the vehicle before they crashed, 71 percent of males and 47 percent of females said they were distracted directly by the actions of their passengers.”
Males at higher risk
Additionally, the researchers found males with passengers were almost six times more likely to perform an illegal maneuver and more than twice as likely to drive aggressively just before a crash, as compared to males driving alone. Females rarely drove aggressively prior to a crash, regardless of whether they had passengers in the car.
“Most teens take driving seriously and act responsibly behind the wheel. However, some may not realize how passengers can directly affect their driving,” said Mirman. “Teen passengers can intentionally and unintentionally encourage unsafe driving. Because it can be difficult for new drivers to navigate the rules of the road and manage passengers, it’s best to keep the number of passengers to a minimum for the first year.”
Motor vehicle crashes remain the No. 1 cause of death among teens in the United States. Teen drivers, ages 16 to 19, have fatal crashes at four times the rate of adult drivers, ages 25 to 69.
