Teens are a common sight on the Florida roadways. Their lack of experience and perceptions that they are reckless, negligent, distracted and have other flaws behind the wheel will lead to those sharing the road with them feeling fearful and concerned.
There might be a level of justification in the worries about teen drivers, but it does not necessarily mean that these are the reasons behind the danger they pose. A recent study indicates that teens’ brain development might be a major part of their tendency to have auto accidents.
Overseen by the University of Pennsylvania and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, the study suggests that the cognitive capabilities of drivers can be a way to determine if they are at higher risk of a crash. Since auto accidents are the most common cause for teen fatalities between the ages of 15 and 24, this might save lives if it is shown to be accurate and effective.
The focus was on the “working memory.” This is when the brain conducts various functions to multitask and complete complex acts. Generally, its development occurs from the time a person is in adolescence into their twenties.
Teens who were slower in developing their working memory were found to have more crashes. The study was extensive and assessed 300 youngsters from ages 10 to 12 in 2005. They were again assessed in 2014, when they were 18 to 20.
Their working memory was analyzed as were other behaviors that could be deemed risky. Older participants had their driving history analyzed. Of those 84, almost 30% had an accident at some point. For each, their working memory was slow in developing.
This study brings to light interesting concepts as to why teens might be a danger for auto accidents, and it goes beyond the basic idea that they are inexperienced and are not cognizant of the dangers inherent to driving.
After auto accidents, any type of research as to how and why it happened can be beneficial to those who were injured, lost time on the job, have amassed medical bills or have lost a loved one. Discussing the case with a law firm that understands this level of research and knows how to pursue compensation after auto accidents can help with a claim.