Teen Drivers in Iowa: Where Do They Rank Among Other States?

A recent study done on teen driving revealed which states are the best in safety when it comes to teen driving and which states are the worst. There were certain variables that were taken into account such as the type of driver’s licenses each state has for teens, fatal car accidents, driving and road safety as well as road quality. How do you think Iowa ranked? Iowa ranked among the nation’s worst for safety among their teen drivers; they came in at number 49. Teens are about 17% of the driving population in Iowa. However, they represent 40% of all serious injuries and fatalities caused by car accidents. According to the Iowa Department of Transportation, the graduated driver’s license is a main part of the problem, because not the law hasn’t been updated or changed much since it was put into place back in 1999.

There are many things that can be done to help teens become better drivers and be safe on the road. Most importantly, parents need to supervise their teen’s driving. Parents should set rules and guidelines for their teen driver, such as:
• When they are allowed to drive
• Where they can go
• Who is allowed to be in the car with them

Studies show that teen drivers rarely crash when mom or dad are in the car with them, but once there are no parents in the car the teen crash rates goes up by 700% and the use of seat belts drop down to about 40%. Can you guess which days the worst are for crash related deaths among teenagers? That’s right, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. In fact, 54% of crash related deaths occur on the weekend.

So what is causing teenagers to be unsafe drivers? One of the most important causes is distractions. Technology keeps teens from paying attention while driving. Having a cell phone, Ipod, or GPS in the car is very distracting to teens, because they are inexperienced drivers who can’t spare any attention for these things, but try to do so anyway. Another cause is the part of the brain that controls judgment, risk-taking, impulse, and distance estimation isn’t fully developed in teenagers which can cause them to make bad decisions while behind the wheel. In Iowa there have been a couple laws passed recently that may help teenagers to become safer while driving. First, a bill was passed at the end of April requiring all passengers through the age of 17 who are in the back seat to wear their seat belt. Also, starting July 1st teens are prohibited from using their cell phones while driving. Hopefully these changes will help teens make better choices while driving.

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