Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

Know the risk factors for teen motor vehicle crashes

Claire McCarthy, MD
Physician
November 16, 2012
Share
Tweet
Share

There was some good news recently about teens and driving: according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the number of teens who report drinking and driving has come down by half in the past decade from two in ten to one in ten.

While that really is good–great–news, it doesn’t change the fact that motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for US teens. In 2010,  every day seven teens died in motor vehicle crashes–and 770 were treated and released from emergency rooms. If you don’t want this to happen to your teen, it’s important that you know the risk factors for teen crashes–and talk to your child about them.

Drinking. As I said above, the numbers have gotten better here–but still, one in ten is a lot. And even if your teen knows better than to drink and drive, he or she may not always be the one driving. Make it really clear to your teen that drinking and driving are a lethal combination–and that you will always come get them, no matter what, if they find themselves facing that situation.

Speeding. Teens are more likely to speed. You need to talk about this a lot, and have a zero tolerance for it. If you catch them or otherwise find out they’ve been speeding, take the keys away. Teens naturally take risks–their brains are still developing, and they don’t fully understand the consequences of their actions. Sometimes you need to understand things for them.

Being male. Not much you can do about this, but be aware that male teens are more likely to speed and get into accidents than females. I’m usually very much against treating one gender differently, but data is data. Talk a lot to your sons–and make sure your daughter understands this about her male friends (and boyfriends).

Not wearing seat belts. For whatever reason, teens have a tendency to not wear seat belts–in 2011, only half of high-schoolers reported always wearing a seatbelt when driving with someone else. Maybe they just aren’t cool. But cool or uncool, they absolutely save lives–and your teen absolutely needs to wear one. It’s the law here in Massachusetts–they could get their license suspended if they are a junior driver.

Driving together. The risk of fatal crashes goes up the more kids are in the car together. It doesn’t need to be a car full–risks go up when you add even one or two passengers. This will make sense to anyone who has ever watched teens together–they have a way of distracting and goading each other. Driving with a bunch of friends is about the least safe way for a teen to get anywhere. Always know how many people will be in the car.

Distractions. Texting is the one we talk about a lot now–and despite the media coverage, and laws in many states (including Massachusetts), a third of teens still admit to texting while driving.It is not physically possible to look both at the road and your phone. Using your cell phone bill, you should be able to see when your child texts. If you find any when you know he or she was driving, that’s another reason to take the keys away.

It’s not just texting, though. Anything that takes your eyes or attention away from the road can cause a crash. That could be as simple as changing the radio station or turning to talk to a passenger or reaching for a sip of coffee. Anything. Make sure your teen understands this.

Experience. As with anything, practice matters. Teens are most likely to get into accidents in that first year or so after getting their license. So spend a lot of time in the car with your teen. Make sure they get lots of time on the road with you before and after they get their license–don’t just leave it to the Driver’s Ed instructor. When they have their license, start things out gradually. Be sure they are comfortable and capable before you  give them additional privileges.

If you do all this, I can pretty much guarantee that your child will get annoyed, even mad. There will be a whole lot of eye-rolling, a whole lot of I-know-all-this!, and you will be accused of being overly strict and not trusting them. Ignore it. Stand firm.

You may just save their life.

For more information, check out the Teen Drivers page of the CDC website.

Claire McCarthy is a primary care physician and the medical director of Boston Children’s Hospital’s Martha Eliot Health Center.  She blogs at Thriving, the Boston Children’s Hospital blog, Vector, the Boston Children’s Hospital science and clinical innovation blog, and MD Mama at Boston.com.

ADVERTISEMENT

Prev

On the inpatient psychiatry ward, a new code governs

November 16, 2012 Kevin 4
…
Next

The obstacles patients face in making the right decisions

November 16, 2012 Kevin 5
…

Tagged as: Pediatrics, Primary Care

Post navigation

< Previous Post
On the inpatient psychiatry ward, a new code governs
Next Post >
The obstacles patients face in making the right decisions

ADVERTISEMENT

More by Claire McCarthy, MD

  • Sometimes, talking to strangers is necessary

    Claire McCarthy, MD
  • Maybe God made teenagers difficult so we can let them go

    Claire McCarthy, MD
  • 4 mistakes parents make in the pediatrician’s office

    Claire McCarthy, MD

More in Physician

  • How I learned to love my unique name as a doctor

    Zoran Naumovski, MD
  • What Beauty and the Beast taught me about risk

    Jayson Greenberg, MD
  • Creating safe, authentic group experiences

    Diane W. Shannon, MD, MPH
  • How tragedy shaped a medical career

    Ronald L. Lindsay, MD
  • A doctor’s guide to preparing for your death

    Joseph Pepe, MD
  • How policy and stigma block addiction treatment

    Mariana Ndrio, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • The human case for preserving the nipple after mastectomy

      Thomas Amburn, MD | Conditions
    • Nuclear verdicts and rising costs: How inflation is reshaping medical malpractice claims

      Robert E. White, Jr. & The Doctors Company | Policy
    • How new loan caps could destroy diversity in medical education

      Caleb Andrus-Gazyeva | Policy
    • IMGs are the future of U.S. primary care

      Adam Brandon Bondoc, MD | Physician
    • Why doctors struggle with family caregiving and how to find grace [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Locum tenens: Reclaiming purpose, autonomy, and financial freedom in medicine

      Trevor Cabrera, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • Health equity in Inland Southern California requires urgent action

      Vishruth Nagam | Policy
    • How restrictive opioid policies worsen the crisis

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician
    • Why primary care needs better dermatology training

      Alex Siauw | Conditions
    • Why pain doctors face unfair scrutiny and harsh penalties in California

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician
    • How a doctor defied a hurricane to save a life

      Dharam Persaud-Sharma, MD, PhD | Physician
    • What street medicine taught me about healing

      Alina Kang | Education
  • Recent Posts

    • How trust and communication power successful dyad leadership in health care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Why Hollywood’s allergy jokes are dangerous

      Lianne Mandelbaum, PT | Conditions
    • How I learned to love my unique name as a doctor

      Zoran Naumovski, MD | Physician
    • My first week on night float as a medical student

      Amish Jain | Education
    • What Beauty and the Beast taught me about risk

      Jayson Greenberg, MD | Physician
    • Creating safe, authentic group experiences

      Diane W. Shannon, MD, MPH | Physician

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

Leave a Comment

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • The human case for preserving the nipple after mastectomy

      Thomas Amburn, MD | Conditions
    • Nuclear verdicts and rising costs: How inflation is reshaping medical malpractice claims

      Robert E. White, Jr. & The Doctors Company | Policy
    • How new loan caps could destroy diversity in medical education

      Caleb Andrus-Gazyeva | Policy
    • IMGs are the future of U.S. primary care

      Adam Brandon Bondoc, MD | Physician
    • Why doctors struggle with family caregiving and how to find grace [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Locum tenens: Reclaiming purpose, autonomy, and financial freedom in medicine

      Trevor Cabrera, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • Health equity in Inland Southern California requires urgent action

      Vishruth Nagam | Policy
    • How restrictive opioid policies worsen the crisis

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician
    • Why primary care needs better dermatology training

      Alex Siauw | Conditions
    • Why pain doctors face unfair scrutiny and harsh penalties in California

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician
    • How a doctor defied a hurricane to save a life

      Dharam Persaud-Sharma, MD, PhD | Physician
    • What street medicine taught me about healing

      Alina Kang | Education
  • Recent Posts

    • How trust and communication power successful dyad leadership in health care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Why Hollywood’s allergy jokes are dangerous

      Lianne Mandelbaum, PT | Conditions
    • How I learned to love my unique name as a doctor

      Zoran Naumovski, MD | Physician
    • My first week on night float as a medical student

      Amish Jain | Education
    • What Beauty and the Beast taught me about risk

      Jayson Greenberg, MD | Physician
    • Creating safe, authentic group experiences

      Diane W. Shannon, MD, MPH | Physician

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Leave a Comment

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...