Back-to-School: Teens Behind the Wheel - Shocking Stats You Need to Know
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Buckle up parents, because the back-to-school season is officially in full swing. From driving to school and around campus to going to extra-curricular activities, your teenagers are officially back in the driver's seat.
Speed is one of the most critical risk factors for road traffic injuries, and this is a common trend in South Africa. RTMC figures show that around 276,000 speeding violations were issued in 2022, and 58% of these were recorded in Gauteng. This high figure has translated to Gauteng's accident numbers, also accounting for the highest number of car crashes in the country — 2,321, an increase of 1.4% from the previous year.
How are these car accident statistics directly linked to teenage drivers?
According to the World Health Organisation, road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death for children and young adults aged 5-29 years, giving us insight into just how fatal car accidents can be for teenagers.
According to the Road Traffic Management Corporation, South Africa has witnessed a rise in deaths among its youth. It is estimated that road accidents killed a total of 8,547 young people between 2019 and 2021. More data provided by the RTMC also showed that about 49.7% of people who died on the road in 2022 were youth and young adults. Arrive Alive, South Africa's public road safety campaign, also estimates that teenage drivers aged 16-19 years are four times more likely than older drivers to crash.
5 key reasons why car accident rates are higher in teenage drivers
Distracted driving:
Distracted driving is one of the leading factors in fatal collisions, accounting for about 2.5 million accidents globally every year. It is estimated that 25% of all fatal car accidents are caused by distracted driving, with young drivers being the biggest culprits. Distracted driving causes more accidents among teenagers, as they are more likely to engage in distracting activities while driving, such as using their cell phones, applying makeup, or eating. Texting while driving makes you 23% more likely to be involved in an accident, and while this isn't safe for anyone, teenagers are 5 to 6 times more likely to crash than adults. In fact, in 44% of distracted driving accidents that resulted in fatalities, the victims were between 15 and 19 years old.
Failure to wear a seatbelt:
A report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that teenagers, as both passengers and drivers, have the lowest rate of seat belt use of any age group. In that report, they also indicate that over half (about 52%) of young drivers aged 15-20 who died in car accidents were not wearing a seatbelt. Not wearing a safety belt not only increases your teen's chances of severe injuries such as head trauma and internal organ damage but can also result in them being ejected from the vehicle, which is usually fatal. RTMC CEO and Advocate Makhosini Msibi says, “It is saddening to read in road crash investigation reports that in most cases people die on the roads because of failure to use safety belts. In many instances, it has been found that safety belts have been cut off or tied under the seats of vehicles and thus could not be used to save lives.”
High-speed driving:
At 20 km/h, a minor driving error can quickly be corrected, but at 120 km/h, the same error could prove deadly. This is something we unfortunately see a lot of with teenage drivers. Research shows that teen drivers aged 16-19 are nearly three times more likely to be involved in a car accident than drivers that are 20 years and older. It is also seen that in single-vehicle crashes involving teens in the same age group, 79% of them were due to high-speed driving. High-speed driving increases the chances of a car accident occurring, as it reduces the amount of time a driver has to react to a dangerous system, making it more likely for them to crash.
Driving under the influence:
Drunk driving is one of the biggest road safety thefts in South Africa, accounting for about 21.7% of all fatal car accidents in the country. A 2021 study by the South African Medical Journal (SAMJ) based on driver intoxication in South Africa found that the prevalence estimates of driver intoxication in car accidents were between 33% and 69%. Alcohol consumption depresses the central nervous system, leading to delayed reaction time, impaired judgment, and impaired motor skills. This increases the likelihood of fatal accidents, as drivers cannot quickly react to sudden changes in traffic conditions or unexpected events.
A lack of driving experience:
Teenagers haven’t been driving as long as the majority of the drivers on the road, so it is understandable that they will be more prone to mistakes. However, if these mistakes aren’t fixed, they can be dangerous. The most common mistakes made by teenage drivers include ignoring traffic signs and signals and overestimating their driving skills and experience. When these are coupled with dangerous driving behaviours such as speeding, distracted driving, and driving without a seatbelt, it increases their likelihood of being involved in a potentially fatal car accident.
While these are risk factors for drivers of all ages, the numbers show that they are more common among teenagers. But there seems to be a potential solution that can help significantly lower these numbers and keep teens safe while they’re on the road. That solution is vehicle tracking.
Vehicle tracking: The key to safer driving for your teenager?
Vehicle tracking refers to the monitoring and tracking of the location, movement, and speed of your vehicle in real time. This is powered by a global positioning system, a technology that works to remotely determine and track the location of a vehicle.
The GPS tracking device, which is a portable unit, collects a vehicle’s location data and transmits it to a central server using cellular or satellite networks. This allows vehicle owners to gain real-time visibility into the location and movement of their vehicles, helping them monitor vehicle behaviour and movement. However, vehicle tracking does more than give you real-time visibility into the location and movement of your vehicle but also helps improve driver safety.
How can vehicle tracking improve driver safety?
Real-time tracking of driver behaviour:
Vehicle tracking allows you to monitor how a vehicle is operated, allowing you to pinpoint harsh driving habits such as speeding, harsh braking, and sharp turns, providing actionable data for you to track and address dangerous or distracted driving habits your teen needs to fix.
Driver training:
Vehicle tracking helps you spot driving behaviours that can lead to potential accidents. With information on harsh braking, harsh turning, and not adhering to road speed limits, you can quickly spot areas where your teens need to improve and guarantee their safety and your peace of mind.
Quick response in emergencies:
In the unfortunate event of an accident, vehicle tracking provides you with real-time data that can help you quickly get assistance, which can help you minimise the severity of the accident and add an extra layer of safety for your teenager.
Turn your teen into a safe driver with Cartrack’s driver safety solutions
Cartrack understands how stressful handing those car keys to your teens can be. But don’t lose sleep just yet, we provide you with solutions that help your teens drive safer and smarter, giving you total peace of mind. These include:
GPS Tracking:
Accurately monitor your teen's location and behaviour while they’re behind the wheel with Cartrack’s GPS tracking, giving you unparalleled visibility and control of your vehicle. By keeping track of vehicle activity in real-time using our IoT device, you gain insights into your teen driving, with reports on speeding events, harsh braking and turning, idling, harsh acceleration, and cornering. These help you spot the areas your teens need to improve on to ensure they are driving as safely as possible.
Crash detection:
Give your teen the ultimate guardian angel for worst-case scenarios with Cartrack’s crash detection. Our smart device detects crashes by making use of g-force sensors and AI algorithms. This allows us to immediately dispatch emergency services to your vehicle's location and reach out to your emergency contacts to ensure your safety. Even though your teens can improve their driving behaviour and adhere to all the rules of the road, they cannot control the behaviour of other drivers on the road. So in the unfortunate event that an accident occurs while they are behind the wheel, you want to be able to get them help as soon as possible.
CarWatch:
Give your vehicle an extra pair of eyes with CarWatch. Activated via our mobile app, this early warning security system alerts you and us when your parked vehicle moves without your knowledge. With this 24/7 protection and an audited recovery rate of over 90%, Cartrack can proactively dispatch an emergency response team of specialised agents to increase the chances of vehicle recovery.
Geofencing:
Unlock precise vehicle location control with Cartrack’s geofencing feature, helping you create virtual boundaries around specific areas your vehicles drive in. Geofence various locations, such as your teenager's school or university campus, and receive alerts via SMS or email the moment the vehicle enters or exits these set boundaries, helping you gain increased visibility of your vehicle's activity and teen's driving behaviour, enhancing their safety and security. You can also geofence high-risk areas and receive an alert the moment your teen enters them. These alerts help you quickly call them to check up on them and ensure their safety.
Protector:
Give your teens access to 24/7 emergency medical, roadside, and legal assistance with Cartrack’s Protector service. This feature can be accessed at the touch of a button via the Cartrack app, coming to your teen's aid when they need it most, whether they require immediate medical assistance if their vehicle breaks down, or if they need legal advice for a motor-related query.
Extra driver safety tips every teen should know
Encourage your teens to make use of the following Cartrack-endorsed tips in conjunction with our solutions to unlock safe drives.
Maintain a safe following distance: Advise your teens to keep a safe following distance from the vehicle in front of them, as this gives them more time to react if that driver does something unexpected, such as braking suddenly or making a sudden turn. It is advised that you leave a distance of about 2-3 seconds between you and the vehicle in front of you. In adverse conditions and while driving at night, it is advised that you increase this distance to 5-6 seconds.
Avoid distractions: Advise your teens to refrain from using their phones, eating, or drinking while driving, as these actions have been shown to significantly increase the risk of fatal car accidents. Concentrating on the road and keeping all distractions at bay is what can help them ensure safety on the road.
Follow the rules of the road: Obeying traffic signals, stopping at stop signs, and following the speed limit are all essential to preventing accidents caused by negligent or distracted driving.
Always buckle up: Not only is not wearing a seatbelt against the law, but it could be what stands between a minor injury and a fatal car accident. More than 3 out of 4 people who are ejected during a crash die from injuries, so you must always have your seatbelt on.
Keep your vehicles well-maintained: Teach your teens the basics of car maintenance that they can do themselves. This includes regularly checking components such as oil and water and knowing how to change a tyre in case of emergencies. While these may seem mundane, they can keep vehicles functioning properly, which prevents potential accidents.
Unlock the ultimate solution for enhancing teen-driving safety today
Driving is a big milestone for teenagers, signifying their transition into adulthood. But in a country where car accidents are a common occurrence, a little bit of apprehension is understandable. Overcome that apprehension today and gain peace of mind with Cartrack’s solutions, dedicated to keeping your wheels and the teen behind them safe.
Discover shocking teen driving stats as back-to-school season puts your teenager in the driver's seat. Stay informed for safer roads.
