Report ranks Missouri the 2nd worst state in the US for teen driver safety. Here’s why
For teenagers, getting a driver’s license is seen as a right of passage. They’re growing up and can finally take on the world — now with the freedom to travel almost anywhere.
But driving comes with risks. And teens are the most at risk when they’re behind the wheel.
Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death among teens ages 16 to 19, with a fatal crash rate three times higher than drivers ages 20 and over, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
According to a study from financial website WalletHub, teen drivers in Missouri are even more at risk.
WalletHub analyzed the teen driving environment in all 50 states across three dimensions: safety, economic environment and driving laws, and found that Missouri is the second worst state in the country for teen drivers.
Source: WalletHub
Missouri ranked 45th in safety, 28th in economic environment and 49th in driving laws, according to WalletHub’s study. Some of the metrics they looked at include teen driver deaths per 100,000 teens, the maximum cost of speeding and red light tickets and the presence of distracted driving and texting while driving laws in each state.
A new law went into effect Monday in Missouri that says drivers can no longer physically hold or support their cellphone with any part of their body while driving their car. Talking on the phone using Bluetooth or having the call on speaker is not prohibited under the new law.
Some of Missouri’s individual metrics include:
43rd in teen driver fatalities per 100,000 teens
47th in the presence of distracted driving and texting while driving laws
47th in vehicle miles traveled per capita
37th in quality of roads
25th in the presence of impaired driving laws
On a scale of 100, Missouri finished with a score of 29.93, seven points above Montana, ranked the country’s worst teen driving state. The best state for teen driving is Oregon, finishing with a score of 67.52.
