roadwise.Open study app

North Dakota driving lesson · Points & Teen Driving

Why teen drivers crash

A 3-minute lesson from the North Dakota course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.

Study this lesson in the app Back to the course
Read time
3 minutes
Course unit
Points & Teen Driving
Checkpoint questions
6
Source pages
44, 45, 47

Novice teen drivers crash more than any other age group, and in North Dakota teen drivers account for about 20 percent of fatal crashes. The reasons are well known, which means they can be managed.

About 20%

Share of North Dakota fatal crashes that involve teen drivers

Handbook p. 47 ↗

Why teens crash:

  • Young age/lack of maturity: more judgment errors, more risks when parents aren't in the car
  • Brain development: the region that inhibits risky behavior isn't fully formed until age 25
  • Risky behaviors: speeding, running lights and stop signs, tailgating, weaving, misjudging gaps
  • Distractions: music, cell phones, pets and passengers
  • Inexperience: it takes a LOT of practice to handle everyday and unexpected situations
Handbook p. 44 ↗

Know the rule

Teens show the greatest improvement within the first year and 1,000 miles of driving, and keep improving through their first 5,000 miles.

Handbook p. 44 ↗

High-risk driving conditions for teens:

  • Alcohol or drugs: drinking any amount of alcohol produces impairment
  • High speeds: most severe teen crashes, especially for males, happen at high speeds
  • Passengers: as the number of passengers increases, teen crashes increase
  • Night driving: the most severe teen crashes happen at night and on weekends
  • Seat belt non-use, by drivers and passengers
Handbook p. 45 ↗

Know the rule

Teen passengers can be a major distraction and may encourage the driver to speed, show off, or not pay enough attention.

Handbook p. 45 ↗

Know the rule

Teen night driving often combines no adult supervision, carrying passengers and high speeds, which together increase risk exponentially.

Handbook p. 45 ↗

Put it into practice

A friend who just got her license wants to drive four other teens to a party late on a Saturday night. That stacks several high-risk conditions at once: passengers, night driving and a weekend.

Check your understanding

Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.

According to research cited in the handbook, at what age does the brain region that inhibits risky behavior fully form?
  1. Age 18
  2. Age 21
  3. Age 30
  4. Age 25

Answer: Age 25

A National Institutes of Health study suggests the brain region inhibiting risky behavior is not fully formed until age 25.

Handbook p. 44 ↗
Teens show the greatest improvement in driving skill within about how many miles of driving?
  1. 500 miles
  2. 100 miles
  3. 1,000 miles
  4. 10,000 miles

Answer: 1,000 miles

Teens show the greatest improvement within the first 1,000 miles of driving and continue to improve through 5,000 miles.

Handbook p. 44 ↗
About what percentage of fatal crashes in North Dakota involve teen drivers?
  1. About 5 percent
  2. About 80 percent
  3. About 50 percent
  4. About 20 percent

Answer: About 20 percent

In North Dakota, teen drivers account for about 20 percent of fatal crashes.

Handbook p. 47 ↗
As the number of passengers in a teen driver's vehicle increases, teen crash rates tend to increase.
  1. True
  2. False

Answer: True

The handbook notes that as passenger numbers increase for teen drivers, crashes increase as well, since passengers can be a major distraction.

Handbook p. 45 ↗
The most severe crashes for teen drivers tend to occur during daytime hours on weekdays.
  1. True
  2. False

Answer: False

For teen drivers, the most severe crashes occur at night and on weekends, when visibility is reduced and supervision is lower.

Handbook p. 45 ↗
Novice teen drivers crash more than any other age group.
  1. True
  2. False

Answer: True

The handbook states that novice teen drivers crash more than any other age group.

Handbook p. 44 ↗
Take the lesson checkpoint in the app

More in Points & Teen Driving

All North Dakota lessons