The state has the fifth-riskiest teen drivers, according to car-buying service CoPilotSearch.com. The number of teens killed nationwide in vehicle accidents dropped more than 50% from 2005 to 2019, but there still were more than 2,300 incidents in 2019.
The study says 6.9% of teen drivers in Kansas don’t wear a seat belt, nearly 8% drink and drive and more than half text and drive.
According to the CDC, the risk of a fatal crash is three times higher per mile driven for drivers aged 16 to 19 than for drivers aged 20 and up. Risks are particularly high for male drivers, drivers with other teenage passengers, and teens who are in the first few months after receiving their license.
