Just days after the release of concerning road crash statistics in the U.S. road safety advocates would likely be further disappointed by the results of a new survey of American teenagers.
The study was commissioned by communications giant, Verizon, and undertaken by KRC Research.
Related: Benefits of driver assist tech highlighted
Involving just over 1000 U.S. teenagers aged between 13 and 17 it was found that more than half (57%) believe that they are just as good at driving as their parent or guardian.
That’s despite nearly three in four (72%) admitted to having felt unsafe on the road.
Teen Confidence and Concerns Study – Key Findings:
- 77% of the teens nominated getting into an accident as their No. 1 concern on the road
- 51% wish they had learned more about how to drive safely in ice, snow and wet weather
- 47% wish they had learned more about how to change a tyre
- 44% wish they knew how to jump start a battery
- 34% wish they had learned more about how to handle distractions in the car while driving
- 57% would prefer to learn driving skills from someone other than their parent or guardian
And it was interesting to see what scared the youngsters on the roads - 77% said their main concern was having an accident.
53% nominated aggressive drivers as their biggest fear, followed by getting a speeding ticket (42%) and running out of fuel (37%).
While when it came to driver distraction and technology use, the study determined that 82% of the teen felt technologies like blind spot detectors, reverse cameras and traffic alerts have helped them improve their driving.
Related: Warning: Don’t rely on tyre pressure monitor alone
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