Most teen crashes early on school days

COLUMBUS – Teens driving to school are nearly three times more likely to get involved in a crash, according to a five-year safety analysis by the Ohio Department of Transportation.

In fact, 7 in the morning is the most dangerous time for teens driving to school. From 2006 to 2010, the study found early morning crashes involving teens (ages 15-18) nearly tripled, from 42 in the first week of August to 118 in the last week of August – which is attributed to the start of the new school year.

Furthermore, early morning crashes involving teens more than doubled, from 296 in  August to 617 in September and 615 in October.

“Nationally, traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers,” said ODOT Director Jerry Wray. “It’s important for teens to take their time, remain focused and obey all traffic laws to make sure they arrive safety to school.”

The ODOT safety student shows that driver inattention – including following too close, failure to control, excessive speed and failure to yield – is the leading cause of these crashes.

To help teens arrive safely at school, ODOT offers the following tips:

• Always wear a seatbelt.
• Slow down – obey all the traffic laws and speed limits.
• Don’t text and drive – a driver’s focus needs to be on the road.
• Don’t pass other vehicles or change lanes in school zones.

The study also revealed that, in the months of August, September and October, more than 22,000 teens were involved in crashes on Ohio’s roadways.

For more safety tips and information on roadway safety, visit www.everymove.ohio.gov.

All traffic crash date was derived from the Ohio Department of Public Safety.