Teen drivers are high risk

In the most recent report produced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one-third of all teen deaths are caused in traffic accidents. If you look at the number of miles traveled, drivers in the range of 16 to 19 are four times more likely than adult drivers to crash. Almost without exception, these crashes are preventable, being caused because the drivers are distracted. In 2009, 350,000 teens were treated in ERs for injuries sustained in traffic accidents. About 3,000 were killed. Because of the decline in the birth rate, the number of people in the range of 15 to 24 now only represents 14% of the total population, yet they cause damage to property and medical expenses representing 30% of the total bill paid out by insurance companies. When it comes to the sexes, teen males are twice as likely as female teens to be involved in accidents. Adding the evidence of distraction as the main cause of accidents, the risk of an accident increases if there are teen passengers. Sadly, the injuries are more serious because teens are more likely to be driving fast and less likely to be wearing seat belts.

Faced with evidence of this carnage on the roads, many states are actively discussing changes to the laws in the hope of introducing greater safety. For example, the Pennsylvanian lawmakers are proposing stricter licensing regulations for 16-year old drivers. As the law stands, any driver under the age of 18 must be able to prove at least 50 hours of supervising driving. If the proposal goes through, this will increase to 65 hours with a requirement of some experience of night driving and driving in adverse weather conditions. In line with the CDCs findings, teen drivers would be limited to a single passenger unless their parents consent. It will be interesting to see whether the lawmakers will beef up their laws. So far, many of these laws requiring more driving instruction given by approved instructors have failed to get enough votes to pass into law. Although the insurance companies offer discounts to encourage teen drivers to take these courses, they are not yet mandatory.

So where do parents or the teen drivers find affordable insurance? Some insurers specialize in higher risk drivers, i.e. the inexperienced and those with poor safety records. Ironically, teens are more likely to be caught at night DUI/DWI. At a stroke, this elevates them to the category of highest risk. All the auto insurance quotes including them will be at the deterrent end of the premium rates, even in the specialist companies. More generally, companies spread the risk among drivers of all ages and levels of experience. This leads them to value risk differently and, sometimes, the results are a lower rate. The only way of finding out is to shop around, getting as many auto insurance quotes as possible from the full range of companies. Some states have assigned risk programs. Here the Department of Motor Vehicles refers high risk drivers who have been refused cover or only offered high premium rates to nominated insurers for subsidized cover. You will find information about such programs on the website operated by your local Insurance Commissioner.