Each and every time a driver in the Chico area gets behind the wheel to drive somewhere there is the chance that they may be involved in an automobile accident. While car crashes occur throughout the nation every day, according to a recent study, the summer months are the most dangerous. Perhaps unsurprisingly this is particularly true for teenage drivers.
The study was conducted by Driving-Tests.org and was based on fatal traffic information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration collected between the years of 2005 and 2011. It found that nationally, the highest number of fatal traffic accidents occurred in the month of July.
This news is perhaps not all that surprising, particularly where teen drivers are concerned. A rise in the number fatal motor vehicle accidents is probably due at least in part to the fact that more drivers are on the road during summer months. Teens who are not in school for a large portion of the day during these months probably account for a number of those extra drivers. While it is possible for drivers of all ages to display driving behaviors that are not safe, many teen drivers engage in activities that constitute critical errors. These critical errors reportedly account for 75 percent of the serious teen traffic accidents that occur each year.
Critical errors include the following:
- Failing to adequately watch for traffic signs and hazards
- Driving at speeds too fast for the conditions
- Becoming distracted by things happening both outside and inside of the car
Regardless of the age of the person behind the wheel of a car, taking care to not commit these critical errors is important. Doing so could potentially greatly reduce the number of serious car accidents that occur this season. All would likely agree that this is a good thing.
Source: News Inferno, “July the Most Dangerous Month for Teen Drivers,” F.A. Kelley, July 10, 2013
