Claims News Service, Nov. 7, 10:34 a.m. EST — The Allstate Foundation has released a comprehensive report on teen driving, featuring an in-depth study of teen attitudes complemented by recent discoveries from adolescent-development experts. The debut of the report, "Chronic: A Report on the State of Teen Driving," also marks the Foundation's launch of a new multi-year program addressing teen motor-vehicle crashes.
The report notes that, despite improvements in roadways, safer cars, and restrictive driving laws, the number of teen deaths attributed to motor-vehicle crashes has remained consistent at nearly 6,000 fatalities per year for the past 10 years. In addition, each year, more than 300,000 teens are injured as a result of a teen crash. Among 16-year-old drivers, the leading cause of fatal crashes is driver error (77 percent), followed by speeding (38 percent) and alcohol (less than 25 percent).
The study's findings help decipher attitudes teens have about driving, as further reflected in a recent teen survey conducted by The Allstate Foundation. A sampling of teen attitudes that emerged from the study includes:
I'm faced with a lot of distractions: While teens know the rules of the road, they struggle with distractions and admit to engaging in potentially risky behaviors "very often," "often," or "sometimes." Yet, most teens are reluctant to give up distractions, including friends as passengers, cell phones and music.
If I'm sober, I'm safe: Teens appear to believe drinking and driving is the major cause of crashes when in fact, drinking is a factor in 13 percent of crashes involving 16-year-olds and less than 25 percent overall. The reality is that 75 percent of teen deaths on the road are due to speeding and driver error.
Speeding is normal: Although speeding causes almost half of all teen-driving fatalities, teens say speeding is part of the daily driving experience.
It's not me, it's them: Most teens believe they are good drivers and it's other teens that drive "recklessly, distractedly, cluelessly."
I'm a good driver, not a safe driver: Teens do not view "good" driving and "safe" driving as one and the same.
The Allstate Foundation's teen driver research, conducted from March 2005 through July 2005, included an online national survey of 1,000 respondents ages 15 to 17, and a series of in-depth focus group discussions.
To view the study in its entirety, go to www.allstate.com/community/teendriving.html.
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