So, despite all that complaining about New York drivers being crazy, at least the state's teens appear to be working at correcting that reputation.
That's the findings of a recent study conducted by personal finance site WalletHub as New York's teens ranked No. 1 in driver safety.
On the other end of the spectrum, you may want to grip that steering a wheel a little tighter when you hit the roads in South Dakota as teen drivers there ranked last in the report.
According to the most recent statistics gathered by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, despite the fact young people ages 15-24 represent only 14 percent of the U.S. population, they account for 30 percent ($19 billion) of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries among males and 28 percent ($7 billion) of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries among females.
WalletHub researchers, along with providing these interesting teen driving statistics, issued a warning in the report as well, saying, "Looking ahead at the summer season, it is prudent to reflect on the fact that more teens will be obtaining their licenses during this time, when an average of 260 teens are killed in car accidents each month. More than ever, it is imperative to take precautionary measures to ensure teens' safety behind the wheel."
As for additional specifics in the WalletHub study, the research team used 16 key metrics in identifying the Best & Worst States for Teen Drivers. The various elements assessed included the average cost of car repairs, the number of teen drivers in each state, impaired-driving laws and teen driver fatalities.
After New York's No. 1 ranking, the top five is rounded out by Hawaii (2), Illinois (3), Oregon (4) and Rhode Island (5).
The bottom five, after South Dakota, were Mississippi (49), Nebraska (48), Oklahoma (47), and Wyoming (46).
The CDC statistics on teen driving throughout the U.S. add these points as well:
- Males: The motor vehicle death rate for male drivers and passengers ages 16 to 19 was almost two times that of their female counterparts.
- Teens driving with teen passengers: The presence of teen passengers increases the crash risk of unsupervised teen drivers. This risk increases with the number of teen passengers.
- Newly licensed teens: Crash risk is particularly high during the first months of licensure.
