Risk is rising for teen drivers

May 7, 2010 by Andrew

Nighttime driving is becoming more hazardous for American teenagers, and the likely cause is talking and texting on cell phones while operating a vehicle, according to a study released Thursday.

The report by the Texas Transportation Institute said the proportion of fatal crashes at night involving drivers 16 to 19 years old nationwide increased 10 percent from 1999 to 2008. The percentage of nighttime fatal crashes involving drivers 20 years and older rose nearly 8 percent.

Although the increase in nighttime crashes in the older age group can be attributed primarily to alcohol use, the study authors pointed to driver distraction from phone use as a likely cause of the increase in fatalities among younger drivers.

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2. Study – Texting increases risk of crashes
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4. Study: Truckers’ disabilities turn deadly on roads
5. White House seeks texting ban for truckers and bus drivers