Night, phones can be lethal for teen drivers
Chances of a fatal crash are on the rise, data show
By TERRI LANGFORD and YANG WANG
HOUSTON CHRONICLE
May 6, 2010, 9:41PM
The likelihood that a teen driver will have a fatal accident at night is on the rise nationwide — and in Harris County, the odds are even greater...
...According a Texas Transportation Institute study released Thursday. Cell phones are suspected as one of the underlying causes when coupled with the unfamiliarity of driving in the dark.
“The Department of Public Safety urges parents to monitor their novice driver's nighttime driving and encourage that new drivers have plenty of practice with an experienced driver in the front seat of the car, said Tela Mange, spokeswoman for the Texas DPS. “Driving at night can be difficult to adjust to.”
Researchers at the Texas A&M University-based institute examined Fatality Analysis Reporting System data collected by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration from 1999 through 2008, the most recent 10-year period available.
Looking only at the fatal crashes in which light conditions were either “dark” or “dark, but lighted,” they determined that nighttime driving was the most common factor in fatal accidents involving the most rookie of drivers: young teens....link to complete article
yang.wang@chron.com
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