“It’s Not Me Driving Dangerously — It’s Them”

The results are in from a recent Lookin’ Out survey that was administered to 1,356 licensed teenage drivers ranging in age from 16 to 19.

The survey aimed to gauge the attitudes and behaviors of young drivers.

The results revealed that nearly all licensed teens (96 percent) say they see other teen drivers regularly taking risks, such as speeding or not wearing seatbelts. Almost the same amount (95 percent) say they consider themselves to be good drivers, but less than half (42 percent) think the other licensed teens at their school are good drivers.

“Many teens are saying ‘It’s not me driving dangerously — it’s them,’” says Lookin’ Out program coordinator, Matt Bresee.

The survey also revealed teens are multi-tasking behind the wheel. 74 percent talk on cell phones and 52 percent read or send text messages while driving.

“The results reveal the fact that young drivers often feel they can take risks and still drive safely, but when their friends do it, they see the risk taking as being dangerous,” Bresee adds.

Good behaviors

The poll also revealed some positive news about teen driving behaviors. 94 percent of teen drivers regularly wear their seatbelts. 93 percent typically adhere to posted speed limits.

“It’s great to see such positive results in these areas,” says Bresee. “The numbers we can’t measure are how many lives are saved as a result of these types of behaviors.”

Room for improvement

Perhaps the most alarming statistic from the survey includes 10 percent of respondents saying they drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

“This is where things get scary. Young drivers jeopardize their safety when they combine risk taking with inexperience,” says Bresee.

“This reinforces the need for continued education and awareness about how crucial it is to drive sober and be focused on the road,” he adds.

In order to assist schools with continued awareness efforts, the Lookin’ Out program is currently accepting applications for the 2007-08 school year. Interested schools can read more about the program and download Getting Started materials.