Most teen drivers in Mississippi lack the driving experience that older motorists have. This often makes it harder for them to exercise sound judgment when driving and avoid crashes. Research shows that many teen drivers also engage in other dangerous behaviors behind the wheel, and one of those dangerous behaviors involves sharing their vehicles with teen passengers.
Per the AAA Newsroom, teenage drivers who have teenage passengers in their vehicles face a higher chance of involvement in a deadly crash. In fact, anyone involved in a crash with a teen driver faces a higher risk of dying in the incident if the teen driver also has a teen passenger in the car.
How much teen passengers increase death risks
When teen motorists cause accidents and have teen passengers present, the odds of everyone involved suffering a fatality increase by 51%. The risk is even more severe for drivers and passengers traveling in vehicles not driven by the teenager. Studies show that this audience faces a 56% higher chance of a fatality in a crash with a teen driver. Death risks also increase for cyclists or pedestrians in the area, with the presence of teen passengers increasing their risk of death by 17%.
How adult passengers impact death risks
Research indicates that it is the presence of a young passenger, and not the presence of a passenger, in general, that increases dangers. When a teen motorist has someone 35 or over accompanying him or her in the car, crash fatality rates actually decrease by 8%.
Having teenage passengers in the vehicle raises crash risks for teen motorists under any circumstance. When the teen driver speeds or drives after dark, though, the risks become even more pronounced.
