North Carolina Study: First Month of Driving Most Dangerous for Teens

A new study conducted in North Carolina by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has found that the first month after attaining a driver's license is by far the most dangerous time for teen drivers - and that the risk of being involved in a car accident is at its highest during the first 30 days of driving solo.

The study, which followed 38 brand new teen drivers in North Carolina by placing cameras in their cars, found that teens were fifty percent more likely to crash during their first 30 days than during the remainder of their first year of driving. They were also twice as likely to be involved in a North Carolina car accident in their first month behind the wheel than in their second year of driving.

Most teen car accidents recorded during the research were caused by a lack of attention, a failure to yield, speeding, and left turns. The car cameras found that these issues - especially turning issues - improved significantly after only a few weeks of driving.

Perhaps the most surprising finding was that after they received their license, teens only drove in the company of their parents about three percent of the time. Researchers believe that if parents remained a presence in the vehicle for a longer period after a teen is licensed, they may be able to curb new teen driver accidents.

Have you been involved in a North Carolina auto accident caused by a teen driver? Talk to a Raleigh automobile accident attorney at Brent Adams & Associates today.