NORTHBROOK, Ill., March 15 (UPI) -- Although U.S. parents know the top killer of teens is automobile accidents, most don't understand the reasons for the crashes, a survey found.
Nearly 50 percent of parents polled think crashes involving teens result from drunk driving. In reality, the majority of crashes are caused by driver error, speeding and driving with distractions, according to the survey conducted by The Allstate Foundation.
The national survey of more than 1,000 parents of teens ages 15 to 17 also found many parents allow their teens to drive in dangerous situations within the first few months after getting a license, increasing the likelihood of a deadly crash.
Ninety percent of the respondents permit their teens to drive after dark, even though teens are twice as likely to crash after 9 p.m. as during the day. Seventy-seven percent of parents allow their teens to drive with friends, even though studies show the chance of crashing increases in proportion to the number of teen passengers in a car. And 69 percent of parents surveyed allow their teens to drive in bad weather.
