Understanding Your Teen
At age 16, when most teens begin to drive, the brain is still in the process of growing and changing in the very areas required to meet the complex tasks driving requires.
During this time it's also normal to take risks, both positive and negative. The area of the brain that controls weighing consequences of one's actions, suppressing impulses, and organizing thoughts does not fully mature until about age 25.
That's why teens may speed, talk on their cell phone, listen to loud music, be distracted by passengers, or drive while intoxicated or fatigued.
Teens do not get enough sleep due to sleep rhythm changes during adolescence. They need 9 to 10 hours of sleep nightly, but they often get only 7 to 7 1/2 hours due to early school start times and other commitments.
Because driving while tired is similar to driving while intoxicated, drowsy driving is a major risk factor for crashes. Although 16- to 24-year-olds comprise 14 percent of all drivers, they are involved in 50 percent of crashes caused by driving while fatigued.
