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Columbus
Dispatch
More
teen drivers dying in crashes
Distractions caused by wireless
devices may be factor
For
the second year in a row, the
number of teen drivers involved in fatal crashes is on the rise. That
worries
safety officials, who note that the numbers had been declining for
nearly a
decade.
According
to a report released
today by the Governors Highway Safety Association, there was a nearly19
percent
increase in the number of deaths among 16- and 17-year-old drivers in
the first
six months of 2012 compared with the same period in 2011.
In
all, the number increased from
202 to 240.
In
Ohio, the number of deaths
increased from six to nine. The number had decreased to six in 2011
from eight
in 2010.
“We’re
concerned this might be the
beginning of a trend in the wrong direction,” said Barbara Harsha,
executive
director of the group that represents state highway-safety coordinators.
“In
Ohio, it may seem like a small
number, but it’s an increase. … It really is going in the wrong
direction.”
Nationwide,
25 states saw an
increase, 17 reported decreases and eight states had no change. In the
first
six months of 2012, 10 states had no deaths.
Nationally,
teen drivers are
involved in more collisions and fatal crashes on the road than any
other age
group.In Ohio, 1 in 8 drivers ages 16 to 20 years old was involved in a
crash
in 2011, said Mary Bonelli, spokeswoman for the Ohio Insurance
Institute.
The
report says the improving
economy and the slowdown in laws that address teen driving safety
likely are
contributing to the increase nationwide.
Read
the rest of the article at The
Columbus Dispatch
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