Auto Accident Rates in Teens Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Auto Accident Rates in Teens - Research Paper Example It has now become an issue on how auto accident rates in teens can be controlled. Most scholars are conducting researches on how they can link stricter enforcement of traffic laws or stricter curfew laws with reduction of auto accident rates in teens. In the recent years, localities as well as cities all over the US have majored on youth curfew uses to address the burning issue of increased teenage accidents. Policy makers see these curfews as the best and effective mechanisms of dealing with the rising auto accident rates in teens. According to Ricardi (1997), reducing youths on the streets at night and during school days have reduced the rates of teen accidents. These among other curfews set on youth make it possible to reduce deaths caused on the roads by the youths. As a matter of fact, controlling youth driving through curfews and strict rules has worked marvelous with parents who saw it as punishment at start, regarding it a great benefit. Auto accident rates are very high on t eens than on any other age group. The main cause of the high auto accident rates in teens is risk taking. Teenagers find it fun when they engage in risky driving skills to prove to their peers that they are qualified drivers. They over speed, make dangerous turns, violate traffic signals and signs, tailgate and run red lights among others as noted by Males and Macallair (1999). All these increase their chances of engaging in motor crashes. Other factors leading to high auto crashes among teens are lack of driving skills, drugs and alcohol, night driving, and carrying of passengers especially fellow teens. Male teen drivers are more likely to cause auto accidents than female teen drivers are. This accelerates when make teen drivers carry male teens who are likely to distract them on the roads. It is notable that teen drivers are not likely to recognize risky situations while driving and as a result, end up in a car crash. They do not have safety belts locked up when driving (Leonard, 2006). Linking stricter enforcement of traffic laws or stricter curfew laws with reduction of auto accident rates in teens As noted earlier, auto accident rates in teens are the highest all over the world and especially in developed countries where almost all teens have access to cars. It has become an issue all over the world, on how those accidents can be controlled. It is not easy for parents to impose strict rules on their teenage children in order to avoid fatal accidents on the roads. A parent cannot monitor the type and number of passengers his or her teenage boy carries while out driving. It is also difficult for a parent to hold a driving license of his son because he is driving carelessly. However, with the help of the government through imposition of traffic laws, it becomes absolutely easy to monitor and control teenage driving with harsh measures taken to the violators of the laws (Ruefle & Brantley, 1997). Considering the strict laws passed in Oregon, the teens are ar guing that the laws are too harsh and need to be lessened. However, the parents are happy with the results of the laws. In fact, 52% of the parents in Oregon think that the violators of the set traffic rules should be dealt with in very harsh ways. The accident rates caused by teens have been reduced as teens are subjected to strict rules in their driving ventures. For instance, â€Å"The state restricts 16- and 17-year-old drivers from using cell phones, even hands-free, set a curfew and limits the number of passeng