Safe driver

Reducing morbidity and mortality is the focus of medicine, and much of our day is spent focusing on this, but how much do we as pediatricians address on the leading cause of death in teens? Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death among 15- to 20-year-olds. In 2011, about 2,650 teens in the United States aged 16-19 years were killed and almost 292,000 were treated in emergency departments for injuries suffered in motor vehicle crashes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention^. In 2010, the American Academy of Pediatrics reaffirmed its statement that was published on teen drivers in 2006, which encouraged pediatricians to be active participants in the education and lobbying for laws that promote of safe driving.

It may appear to be out of the scope of treatment to educate on safe driving, but the reality is that many parents are unaware of the risk factors that contribute to unsafe driving, as well the conditions that can be managed to improve their driving ability.

The major risk factors for increased injury among teens are immaturity, which leads to increased risk taking; inexperience; and distractions. Immaturity is the leading risk factor, clearly demonstrated in the number of crashes involving 16-year-old drivers, which is two times greater when compared with 17-year-olds and three times greater when compared with 25- to 29-year-olds.

Although distracted driving is not a problem limited to just teens, that compounded with inexperience certainly explains why they account for 14% of fatal accidents despite being only 6% of drivers. It has been statistically shown that the greater the number of teens in a vehicle, the more likely they are to have an accident. Talking on the phone also increases the risk of an accident, but “hands-free” driving shows little improvement in risk. Texting and driving is the leading cause of death among teens, accounting for 3,000 deaths annually according to a study by Cohen Children’s Medical Center, in New Hyde Park, N.Y., which surpasses drinking and driving; www.teendriversource.org reports the statistics on teen driving and stated that brain activity needed for driving is reduced by 37%. Many teens self-report texting and driving and “near accidents.”

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) also has been shown to put teen drivers at increased risk. Teens with ADHD show two to four times the increased risk of crashes.Psychostimulants have been shown to significantly improve their attention during driving, and long-acting methylphenidate has been shown to more effective, even for nighttime driving, over the short-acting methylphenidate (Pediatrics 2006;118:2570-81).

Fairly recent changes in laws and driver education has shown significant improvement in accident rates. Graduated driver laws started in 1996, and now is the law in every state. The minimum requirements include a learner’s permit of 2 months of longer, night restriction, and passenger restriction; states vary in their requirements. Optimally, graduated driver laws include a three-phase program that starts with the learner’s permit, vision screen, and driver’s test. Phase two is supervised driving, which also requires 6 months of no violations, 12 months of no crashes, and the road test. Phase three is a full license without restrictions.

Analysis of this program by state showed a significant reduction in crashes among the 15- to 19-year-olds. The reduction was mostly attributed to the restriction in nighttime driving, restricted number of passengers, and the extend period of supervised driving. In 1997, Florida’s first full year of its graduated driver law system, there was a 9% reduction in fatal and injury crashes for 15- to 17-year-olds, compared with 1995. All of these are important teaching points for parents; the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is an excellent resource for statistics on the distracted driver to encourage teens to put the phones down.

Motor vehicle accidents are the No. 1 cause of death for teens, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If our role as a pediatrician is to prevent morbidity and mortality, then we must play an active role in educating our patients on seriousness of safe driving. Just as we promote vaccines for the prevention of illness, we must promote the rules of the road to prevent an early and avoidable death.

Dr. Pearce is a pediatrician in Frankfort, Ill. E-mail her at [email protected].

Reducing morbidity and mortality is the focus of medicine, and much of our day is spent focusing on this, but how much do we as pediatricians address on the leading cause of death in teens? Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death among 15- to 20-year-olds. In 2011, about 2,650 teens in the United States aged 16-19 years were killed and almost 292,000 were treated in emergency departments for injuries suffered in motor vehicle crashes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention^. In 2010, the American Academy of Pediatrics reaffirmed its statement that was published on teen drivers in 2006, which encouraged pediatricians to be active participants in the education and lobbying for laws that promote of safe driving.

It may appear to be out of the scope of treatment to educate on safe driving, but the reality is that many parents are unaware of the risk factors that contribute to unsafe driving, as well the conditions that can be managed to improve their driving ability.

The major risk factors for increased injury among teens are immaturity, which leads to increased risk taking; inexperience; and distractions. Immaturity is the leading risk factor, clearly demonstrated in the number of crashes involving 16-year-old drivers, which is two times greater when compared with 17-year-olds and three times greater when compared with 25- to 29-year-olds.

Although distracted driving is not a problem limited to just teens, that compounded with inexperience certainly explains why they account for 14% of fatal accidents despite being only 6% of drivers. It has been statistically shown that the greater the number of teens in a vehicle, the more likely they are to have an accident. Talking on the phone also increases the risk of an accident, but “hands-free” driving shows little improvement in risk. Texting and driving is the leading cause of death among teens, accounting for 3,000 deaths annually according to a study by Cohen Children’s Medical Center, in New Hyde Park, N.Y., which surpasses drinking and driving; www.teendriversource.org reports the statistics on teen driving and stated that brain activity needed for driving is reduced by 37%. Many teens self-report texting and driving and “near accidents.”

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) also has been shown to put teen drivers at increased risk. Teens with ADHD show two to four times the increased risk of crashes.Psychostimulants have been shown to significantly improve their attention during driving, and long-acting methylphenidate has been shown to more effective, even for nighttime driving, over the short-acting methylphenidate (Pediatrics 2006;118:2570-81).

Fairly recent changes in laws and driver education has shown significant improvement in accident rates. Graduated driver laws started in 1996, and now is the law in every state. The minimum requirements include a learner’s permit of 2 months of longer, night restriction, and passenger restriction; states vary in their requirements. Optimally, graduated driver laws include a three-phase program that starts with the learner’s permit, vision screen, and driver’s test. Phase two is supervised driving, which also requires 6 months of no violations, 12 months of no crashes, and the road test. Phase three is a full license without restrictions.

Analysis of this program by state showed a significant reduction in crashes among the 15- to 19-year-olds. The reduction was mostly attributed to the restriction in nighttime driving, restricted number of passengers, and the extend period of supervised driving. In 1997, Florida’s first full year of its graduated driver law system, there was a 9% reduction in fatal and injury crashes for 15- to 17-year-olds, compared with 1995. All of these are important teaching points for parents; the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is an excellent resource for statistics on the distracted driver to encourage teens to put the phones down.

Motor vehicle accidents are the No. 1 cause of death for teens, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If our role as a pediatrician is to prevent morbidity and mortality, then we must play an active role in educating our patients on seriousness of safe driving. Just as we promote vaccines for the prevention of illness, we must promote the rules of the road to prevent an early and avoidable death.

Dr. Pearce is a pediatrician in Frankfort, Ill. E-mail her at [email protected].

Reducing morbidity and mortality is the focus of medicine, and much of our day is spent focusing on this, but how much do we as pediatricians address on the leading cause of death in teens? Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death among 15- to 20-year-olds. In 2011, about 2,650 teens in the United States aged 16-19 years were killed and almost 292,000 were treated in emergency departments for injuries suffered in motor vehicle crashes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention^. In 2010, the American Academy of Pediatrics reaffirmed its statement that was published on teen drivers in 2006, which encouraged pediatricians to be active participants in the education and lobbying for laws that promote of safe driving.

It may appear to be out of the scope of treatment to educate on safe driving, but the reality is that many parents are unaware of the risk factors that contribute to unsafe driving, as well the conditions that can be managed to improve their driving ability.

The major risk factors for increased injury among teens are immaturity, which leads to increased risk taking; inexperience; and distractions. Immaturity is the leading risk factor, clearly demonstrated in the number of crashes involving 16-year-old drivers, which is two times greater when compared with 17-year-olds and three times greater when compared with 25- to 29-year-olds.

Although distracted driving is not a problem limited to just teens, that compounded with inexperience certainly explains why they account for 14% of fatal accidents despite being only 6% of drivers. It has been statistically shown that the greater the number of teens in a vehicle, the more likely they are to have an accident. Talking on the phone also increases the risk of an accident, but “hands-free” driving shows little improvement in risk. Texting and driving is the leading cause of death among teens, accounting for 3,000 deaths annually according to a study by Cohen Children’s Medical Center, in New Hyde Park, N.Y., which surpasses drinking and driving; www.teendriversource.org reports the statistics on teen driving and stated that brain activity needed for driving is reduced by 37%. Many teens self-report texting and driving and “near accidents.”

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) also has been shown to put teen drivers at increased risk. Teens with ADHD show two to four times the increased risk of crashes.Psychostimulants have been shown to significantly improve their attention during driving, and long-acting methylphenidate has been shown to more effective, even for nighttime driving, over the short-acting methylphenidate (Pediatrics 2006;118:2570-81).

Fairly recent changes in laws and driver education has shown significant improvement in accident rates. Graduated driver laws started in 1996, and now is the law in every state. The minimum requirements include a learner’s permit of 2 months of longer, night restriction, and passenger restriction; states vary in their requirements. Optimally, graduated driver laws include a three-phase program that starts with the learner’s permit, vision screen, and driver’s test. Phase two is supervised driving, which also requires 6 months of no violations, 12 months of no crashes, and the road test. Phase three is a full license without restrictions.

Analysis of this program by state showed a significant reduction in crashes among the 15- to 19-year-olds. The reduction was mostly attributed to the restriction in nighttime driving, restricted number of passengers, and the extend period of supervised driving. In 1997, Florida’s first full year of its graduated driver law system, there was a 9% reduction in fatal and injury crashes for 15- to 17-year-olds, compared with 1995. All of these are important teaching points for parents; the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is an excellent resource for statistics on the distracted driver to encourage teens to put the phones down.

Motor vehicle accidents are the No. 1 cause of death for teens, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If our role as a pediatrician is to prevent morbidity and mortality, then we must play an active role in educating our patients on seriousness of safe driving. Just as we promote vaccines for the prevention of illness, we must promote the rules of the road to prevent an early and avoidable death.

Dr. Pearce is a pediatrician in Frankfort, Ill. E-mail her at [email protected].