There is no denying the fact that raising a teenager is among one of the most challenging tasks of parenting. As compared to  kids who, obediently, follow their parents’ instructions, teenagers tend to rebel and indulge in various offensive acts such as shoplifting, arguing and breaking curfew. The act of driving irresponsibly on the road is another example of rebellious behavior where teens ignore the rules. By doing this, they do not  just endanger their own lives but also threaten the lives of other passengers on the road. According to statistics, teenagers’  are involved in more than 40% of the accidents on the road, which occur, primarily, due to ignorance of traffic rules and inexperience behind the wheel. Here’s a look at some  of the reasons why teenagers are involved in such a large number of road accidents:

Driving under the influence

Driving under the influence or DUI, as it is more commonly known , refers to driving while being hyped up on a substance. This can reduce your reflexes and divert your attention from the road. Science states that teenagers are prone to getting “high”,  faster than adults because their bodies are still developing. It is not uncommon to see teenagers getting drunk at parties and then driving recklessly on the roads at high speeds, risking  many lives. According to recently published statistics, in 2012 alone,  around 8 teen deaths, due to driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, were reported every day.

Night Driving

While driving during the day in the presence of sunlight can be fun and safe, driving in the dark can be highly dangerous. A review of safe driving for teenagers would reveal that majority of road accidents occur during night, primarily due to light conditions and visibility issues. Combine that with high speed driving and you have a potential catastrophe waiting to happen.

Texting while driving

The onslaught of smartphones has not just brought with it faster and more reliable communications but has also given birth to “driving while intexticated” type road accidents. According to statistics, 23% of all road collisions, that took place in 2011, involved a teen texting on their cellular phone. That translates to over a million cellular phone related accidents where either someone got badly injured or was killed by the accident. Despite these alarming statistics, 77% of the teenagers, stated in a survey, that they enjoyed, texting while driving.

These startling numbers prove that there is a dire need for parents to counsel their teens about the importance of responsible driving and how their moment of thrill can cause irreparable damage to someone.