Over the past decade, the automotive industry has been in a state of transformation. Virtually all automakers have begun capitalizing on modern technology by introducing safety features such as automatic driver assistance systems, which can prevent accidents and make our roadways safer for everyone. Many automakers also offer teen driving technology, which are features specifically designed to keep younger, newer drivers safe behind the wheel. But does teen driving technology make driving safer?
Why Are Teen Drivers More Likely to Have Accidents?
Several studies have shown that teen drivers are much more likely to be involved in serious or fatal car accidents. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), motor vehicle crashes are the second-leading cause of death for teens in the United States. In 2019 nearly 2,400 US teens between the ages of 13 and 19 were killed in traffic accidents and another 258,000 were treated in emergency departments for car accident injuries.
Several major risk factors significantly increase the risk of getting into an accident as a teenager. These include:
- Inexperience – A lack of experience behind the wheel heightens the risk of an accident. Teen drivers are more likely than older drivers to underestimate dangers or simply fail to recognize dangerous situations. They are also more likely to make poor decisions when encountering unexpected hazards.
- Night and weekend driving – Accidents are more likely to occur at night for drivers of all ages, but it is riskier for teens. According to the National Household Travel Survey, drivers between ages 16 and 19 are almost three times as likely to be involved in fatal nighttime crashes compared to drivers ages 30 to 59.
- Failure to use seatbelts – Teens and young adults have the lowest rates of seatbelt use among all age groups. Those between 16 and 24 use their seatbelt in the front seat about 87 percent of the time, compared to 90 percent or higher for those over 25.
- Distracted driving – Distracted driving is a danger for all drivers, but even more for young and inexperienced motorists. A 2019 Youth Risk Behavior survey found that among driving US high school students, 39 percent texted or emailed behind the wheel at least once within the past 30 days.
- Speeding – Teen drivers are more likely to speed and drive with shorter following distances between other vehicles. Speeding drastically increases the risk of a crash, and crashes involving speeding are much more likely to be fatal.
- Drugs and alcohol – Driving while intoxicated is always dangerous, but teens are much more likely to be involved in a crash compared to older drivers with the same blood alcohol concentration.
Automakers That Have Implemented Teen Driver Safety Features
1. Ford MyKey
In 2016 Ford became one of the first automakers to introduce built-in teen driver technology with its MyKey system. This system includes custom settings that allow parents to reinforce safe driving habits. Parents can use their keys to control vehicle safety settings such as maximum speed, seatbelt alerts, maximum radio volume, and more.
2. Chevrolet Teen Driver Technology
Chevy’s Teen Driver Technology system allows parents to coach their teen drivers from afar. The features are similar to Ford’s MyKey, including setting limits for speed and volume.
The Chevrolet system was also the first teen driver technology system to offer an in-vehicle report card, which provides data on the teen’s driving performance and allows parents to track how safe they are driving.
3. GM Teen Driver
Chevrolet is not the only GM-owned brand to feature built-in teen driver technology systems. Many models feature this tech, including the Teen Driver in-vehicle report card feature. Some of the data points included in these report cards include:
- Maximum speed reached
- Total distance driven
- Number of excess speed warnings
- Forward collision reports
- Forward automatic braking events
- Tailgating alerts
- Stability control events
- Antilock braking events
- Wide-open throttle events
Does Teen Driver Technology Help Prevent Accidents?
Teen driver technology features sound great in theory, but do they translate to safer driving for younger motorists? A recent study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) suggests that the answer is yes. According to this study, crash avoidance features, teen driving tech, and other technologies could prevent or mitigate up to 75 percent of fatal crashes involving teen drivers.
This study analyzed all crash avoidance technologies, not just teen technology features. It found that since teen drivers are usually worse at recognizing roadway hazards and controlling their vehicles, these crash avoidance technologies could disproportionately benefit younger drivers.
The researchers analyzed a data set of passenger-vehicle crashes involving US teen drivers between 2016 and 2019. They specifically sought out crash circumstances related to the crash avoidance features of front crash prevention, lane departure warning/prevention, and blind spot monitoring. In addition, they analyzed three teen-specific safety technologies: speeding prevention, nighttime curfew notifications, and gearshift interlocks for encouraging seatbelt use.
According to the study, if all of these technologies were used universally and completely effective, they could prevent or mitigate 41 percent of teen auto accidents, as well as 47 percent of teen driver injuries and 78 percent of teen driver deaths.