A familiar question heard in homes across America is "can I borrow the car". To most that phrase does not mean anything, but to families who have gone through a period of grief, due to the lost of a loved one, would think twice before answering that question. Many experts say that teenagers are a threat to roadways, but sixteen-year-olds are the one to watch out for. Why point the finger at sixteen-year-olds? These groups of teenagers are three times as likely to be killed in a crash, but not to say that other teen drivers are harmless. Teenage drivers make up twelve and a half percent of the driving force, but account for thirty percent of all motor vehicle accidents (State of Maine 2). There are many differences between sixteen-year-old drivers and drivers between the age of seventeen and nineteen. The main reason why sixteen-year-olds create more havoc on the roadways is because they lack the extra experience that older drivers have. In nearly forty percent of all teenage crashes the driver was speeding (P.A.S.T. 1). Since forty-three percent of all teenage driving is done between 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., teenagers tend to drive faster, due to the open roads (P.A.S.T. 1). The roads are not as condensed at night as they are at some times during the day, making it easier to speed. Fifty-seven percent of all accidents occur on rural roads another reason why teens do not hesitate before speeding.
             Failure to keep in the proper lane, running off the road and failure to use a seat belt are the most common in teenage crashes. Over crowding is another reason why teen crash rates are so high. Many teenagers have friends who cannot drive, hence overcrowding is common. Overcrowding is a problem because the driver can lose concentration from the commotion caused in the car. In thirty-three percent of all accidents caused by sixteen-year-olds there were three or more people present in the vehicle, compared to thirty-seven percent...