...

The Effects of
Brain Development
on Teen Driving

Brain Development in Adolescence

Brain Development in Adolescence
Frontal Cortex

The frontal cortex section of the brain, responsible for reasoned and logical decision-making, is not fully developed in adolescent drivers.

Instinctive Or Emotional

instinctive or emotional decisions are driven by the amygdala, which is fully developed by adolescence.

Idea

Communication between different parts of the brain is not fully developed until adulthood.

Car Crash Statistics Among Teens

Seven teen drivers

Seven teen drivers (16-19 years old) are fatally injured every day on the road.

Car
Teen drivers

Teen drivers are almost three times more likely than adults to die in a car crash.

How Brain Development Affects Driving

Adolescents’ frontal cortices affect inhibition control and working memory.

Adolescent brains are impressionable, allowing peer pressure to convince teen drivers to drive riskier.

Adolescents

Poor inhibition control can lead to risk-taking that increases chances of crash, such as running a red light or speeding.

Reduced working memory in teens leads to ignoring lane lines or forgetting speed limits.

Sources

https://www.aacap.org/aacap/families_and_youth/facts_for_families/fff-guide/the-teen-brain-behavior-problem-solving-and-decision-making-095.aspx https://www.kidshealth.org.nz/adolescent-brain-development https://childrensmd.org/browse-by-age-group/teenagers-driving/ https://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/teen_drivers/index.html https://injury.research.chop.edu/blog/posts/developing-brain-and-teen-driving#.XI1hrefQgdU
Awards & Certifications