Autoblog

Nobody would argue that the potential for lost-life is the worst thing about teen crashes, but the related monetary expenses are also rather staggering. AAA estimates that teen crashes ended up costing more than $34 billion annually in medical expenses, lost work, property damage, quality of life loss and other related costs in 2006 alone. According to AAA, fifteen to seventeen year-old drivers were involved in nearly a million crashes in 2006, injuring 406,427 people and killing 2,541. Each fatality carries an average cost of $3.841 million while injury accidents post an average of $50,512.

According to their research, AAA suggests that states should take up graduated driver licensing strategies, which they say are proven to reduce fatal crashes involving teen drivers by an average of 38 percent. Browse through the press release after the break for the whole set of sad statistics.

[Source: AAA]

For drivers between the ages of 16 and 24, the price of insurance can seem more than a little unfair. While $125 per month could insure a luxury vehicle for someone in their 30s, a 16 year-old couldn't get such a rate for a Pinto. There's a very simple reason for this disparity; young motorists are by far the most dangerous drivers on the road. A study by the Rand Corporations shows that while 13-percent of all drivers are between the ages of 16 and 24, 43-percent of all accidents come from that age group. It's a good thing everybody seems to be on the phone while driving, it may not hurt as much when you don't see that pimped out Neon coming.

While young drivers are an accident waiting to happen, those over the age of 65 are much safer than their unearned reputation may suggest. Senior citizens make up 15-percent of all drivers, but only cause 7-percent of the total accidents. Maybe it's because people are a little more careful when they see a Crown Victoria on the road, but that AARP discount appears to be well-deserved anyway. Next time you're on the freeway and you see a Buick Roadmaster in the right lane, get behind it, it's probably one of the safest places on the road.

[Source: Reuters]

Many have observed the recent uptick in teenage drivers having accidents while text messaging, often with tragic consequences. Liberty Mutual and Students Against Destructive Decisions have recently carried out research that shows texting to be the list-topping distraction among the more than 900 teens they polled. SADD and Liberty Mutual have been collecting data for seven years about teen behavior, attitudes and decision making while driving. They've amassed a treasure trove of information about what kids do while they should be driving, and how effective their parental units are at laying out and enforcing rules.

Rather than merely yell about the sky falling while burying their heads in the sand, Liberty Mutual and SADD have developed a set of recommendations for parents when it comes to teen drivers. The suggestions are all good, and mostly common sense; things such as being familiar with your state's graduated licensing laws, following through with consequences for flouting rules, you know, all the stuff we used to be worried about our parents doing. We hope the effort has some effect - even without the distraction of electronic toys while driving, teenagers are the least experienced drivers on the road, and thus need to be the most vigilant about having all their facilities concentrated on the task of keeping a 3,000 pound potential weapon in control.

follow the jump to see what other top distractions affect teen drivers

[Source: SADD]

Based on recent moves in Indiana, Virginia, the PSA's in Australia, and now Massachusetts, speeding of the teen and adult varieties is the latest headline-grabbing menace to society. Massachusetts' Junior Operators' License Law, which outlines the punishments meted out to traffic offenders under the age of 18, was recently strengthened.

One of the first victims was Jackie Crawford, four weeks shy of her 18th birthday, who was given a ticket for going 35 in a 25. First came the $100 fine. Then came the 3-month license suspension. Then came mandatory attendance in the State Courts Against Road Rage program, as well as a driver attitude retraining course -- both of which her mother had to drive her to because Jackie's license was suspended. Then came the $500 fee to have her license reinstated. But she won't actually get her license back until she retakes both the written and the driving tests again... and pays the fees for those as well. In MA, 25 means 25, especially if you're under 18.

Thanks for the tip, Dylan!

[Source: Worcester Telegram via Car Advice]

No matter how dramatic your explanations of how you walked barefoot uphill in the snow both ways are, the fact remains that teenagers will at least need access to a car from time to time. Given that your youngun' will be talking on the phone, listening to the radio, text messaging, chewing gum and chatting with passengers (all while breaking graduated-licensing laws), you want to give him or her the best chances of surviving a possible crash. Better yet (especially for the passengers, who never seem to fare as luckily as the driver), a car that can handily avoid an accident is the safest of all. That's part of the reason why we Autobloggers like a little starch in the ride, swift action from the steering, good strong brakes and enough power to get the hell out of the way should the need arise.

Forbes Magazine also sees the need for kids to have cars that emphasize safety. They've compiled their list of Smart Cars for Teen Drivers, and that doesn't mean a bunch of those little bean-shaped things, either. Forbes picked 15 cars as good rides to put teenagers in. While they may not all generate a lot of excitement in the hearts of the kids they envision getting behind the wheel, we don't see a problem with them. After all, we sure didn't get new cars when we started driving. We delve into a few of the picks after the jump.

[Source: Forbes}

When I was in high school, I got a plastic trophy for four years perfect attendance. In Tennessee this year, five high school seniors with rock solid immune systems who have also resisted the temptations of truancy will be the recipients of a free Chevy Cobalt through a new incentive program called "The Chevy Drive for Perfection." The program blankets 26 Middle Tennessee counties and will track the number of absent-free seniors throughout the school year. Come next June, those with perfect attendance will be entered into a drawing and five will drive off to college in a brand new Cobalt. And all I got was a stinkin' trophy.

[Source: The Tennessean]

Continued gas price hikes have intensified media coverage on subcompacts like the Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit and upcoming Nissan Versa. Bloomberg's Doron Levin, though, questions if young Americans will truly embrace the 'Small is Beautiful' trend.

He points out that today's young people don't necessarily see 'inexpensive' and 'gets great gas mileage' as top priorities  for their vehicles. According to a study by automotive analysts, such buyers feel a sense of entitlement fostered by their parents. Levin's own daughter rejected a perfectly running Ford Taurus and rode with friends until given a Chevrolet Blazer.

Levin does address the lone exception, Scion. In fact, he writes that the Japanese automakers have the most experience in marketing small vehicles, and are the best equipped to persuade reluctant Americans of their validity. As the Toyota Echo showed, though, even they have had their share of flops.

What do you think of Levin's analysis? Have your say in 'Comments.'

Related: Toyota, Honda, Nissan's smallest prepped for battle; Chrysler, Ford, and GM missing the subcompact wave?

[Bloomberg via Financial Express]