Don't Distract when Driving.

Don't Distract Your Friends when They are Driving. It’s a well-known fact that driving with friends can increase a teen’s crash risk, which is why many states have laws restricting the number of passengers that teen drivers can transport. Now researchers from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and State Farm insurance have shed light on why teens’ driving skills can spin out of control when friends are in the car. Car accidents are the No. 1 cause of death among U.S. teens, who are four times as likely as adult drivers to be involved in fatal crashes. Two new studies published in the Journal of Adolescent Health pinpoint which teens are likely to drive with friends and how extra passengers can hinder their driving before a crash. In one study that surveyed 198 teen drivers, researchers found that those teens most likely to drive with multiple passengers were “thrill-seekers” who didn’t accurately perceive the risks inherent in driving and suspect that their parents are not monitoring their behavior. Causes of Distracted Driving % Texting % Talking on a cell phone %Using a mobile device to use the internet while driving and surf the web %Watching videos or movies or using entertainment devices % Using social media or taking selfies or streaming live video % Grooming (combing hair, putting on makeup) Eating %Partying in a car, having rowdy passengers or driving under emotional duress, and even dancing %Reading - whether it's a newspaper or textbook, visually reading directions or instructions, or email