One thing that is clear from car accident statistics is that teenage drivers are disproportionately responsible for fatal car accidents. They are a very small age group, but they cause far more fatal crashes than you would expect. This is why teenagers have to pay more money for car insurance, for example.
It may seem that the solution would be increasing the driving age. If teenagers are causing a disproportionate amount of accidents, maybe moving the driving age up to 18 or 21 would reduce the number of fatalities. But would it help?
Why it may help
One reason that it may help is that it would give young drivers more time to grow, develop and mature. It’s well-known that brain development isn’t over until your mid-20s, for example. Allowing young people to have a bit more time to develop cognitively may help them to make better decisions on the road and avoid reckless or negligent mistakes.
Why it may not help
On the other side of the coin, one of the big reasons that teens are involved in so many fatal accidents is just that they are inexperienced. As they gain experience, they quickly become safer drivers. But this just means that moving the driving age up will change the time at which drivers get their experience. Someone who is 18 years old and inexperienced could be just as dangerous as they would have been at 16.
Have you been injured?
If you’ve lost a loved one or suffered serious injuries in a car accident caused by another driver, you may be able to seek financial compensation. This can help to pay for the medical bills you’re facing, wages you’re losing and much more.