• 11
  • June
    2010

Teen drivers in the vicinity of North Carolina high schools will have to be especially vigilant in early June, as the State Highway Patrol will focus on traffic enforcement and driver education at schools around the state.

The special program termed "Operation Drive to Live" stems in large part to troopers' strong awareness that careless teen driving, while an ongoing issue throughout the year, is of special concern during summer months. It is during that period, of course, when teen drivers have maximum leisure time and often use cars as, literally, vehicles for socialization.

Teen driving accidents and the tragic consequences often associated with them are always on the minds of troopers. In North Carolina - as in other states throughout the country - the leading cause of death among teens is motor vehicle accidents. Within the past four years, the North Carolina Highway Patrol has investigated 682 teen deaths in automobile crashes.

The causes that underlie that sobering statistic are many. At the forefront, according to Trooper Greg Ingram, is distracted driving, a problem that is most acute for young drivers. State laws to address that have been enacted in recent years. A 2006 law bars drivers under 18 from using cell phones while driving, except in emergencies. A 2009 prohibits text messaging for all drivers.

Another factor closely associated with teen driving problems is the simple fact of being inexperienced and lacking maturity on the road. Police Sgt. Scott Morgan calls driving "a skill that you develop over time like anything else." Teens, being less experienced, obviously have less to fall back on in judging road conditions and rapidly changing circumstances.

There is good news, though, for teen drivers in North Carolina, as evidenced by a steady decrease in car crashes involving teen drivers over the past several years. That is most often credited to the graduated licensing system the state implemented in 1997, which gradually increases teens' driving privileges in a three-stage licensing system. Statistics show a strong correlation between graduated licensing and reduced accident rates among teens.

Related Resource: News & Record: "Highway Patrol tells teens: Focus on road" June 6, 2010