Speed, risk-taking to blame in many accidents involving young drivers

Young drivers are more willing to take risks behind the wheelthan adults, which experts say could explain why youth are disproportionately involved in serious accidents in Quebec.

Speed is involved in most road accidents involving drivers between the ages of 16 and 24,saidMarioVaillancourt, a spokespersonfor theSocitdel'assuranceautomobile duQubec(SAAQ).

"Between 2012 and 2016, speed was involved in 58 percent of accidents with fatalities involving young drivers,"Vaillancourtsaid.

"It's one of the main factors."

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The habits of young drivers are inthe spotlight after a 15-year-old youth lost control of a car nearJoliette, north ofMontreal,andcrashed into a tree early Monday.

Two passengers, aged 14 and 17, were killed in the crash.

A 13-year-old and a 16-year-old are in critical condition in hospital, whilethe driver of the car sustained minor injuries.

EloiseCossetteof theSretduQubecsaidexcessivespeed was a factor.

Policeare conducting amechanical inspection on the vehicle andhave not confirmedhow fast it was going before it crashed, she said.

Young drivers over-represented in accidents

The number of young drivers who died in road accidents has gone down every year since 2011.

Last year, 48 young drivers were killed, compared to 55in 2015.

Despite thatdecrease, young drivers are still over-represented in serious road accidents in Quebec.

Drivers between the ages of 16 and 24 made upnine percent of all driver's licence holdersin 2015.

However, they were involved in 21 percent of road accidents that resulted in injuries or death, according toSAAQstatistics.

On average, 101 young drivers were involved in road accidents causing deaths every year between 2011 and 2015.

"One dead is always one too many," saidVaillancourt.

Brain still developing in teens

The brain's prefrontal cortex, which controls decision-making and risk-taking, continues to developinto early adulthood, said Cecilia Flores,a McGill psychiatry professor who studies teenage brains.

That's why teenagers may make more impulsive choices than adults.

"For the brain to function [at] an adult level, all the connections have to be formed," she said.

Vaillancourtsaid theSAAQhas launchedawareness campaigns targeting young drivers, including one warning them against the risks involved withtextingand driving.

He said passengers should speak up when they see a driver acting dangerously behind the wheel.

Parents should also talk to their children about safepractices and set a good example.

"As parents, we have to show the good behaviours," he said.

'A tragedy'

Staff atcole de La Rive, the high school most of the teens involved in the Joliette accident attended, met today to discuss how to support the other students coming back to class on Wednesday.

Monday was a holiday and Tuesday was a pedagogical day at the school.

"It's a tragedy that touches everyone here," saidDianeFortin, a spokesperson for the Commissionscolairedes Samares in Quebec'sLanaudireregion.

Fortin said an official from theSretduQubecis also going to speak to students about driving safety.

"Time is what will heal all this, but we will devote time to the students," Fortin said.

Social workers will also be at the Maison des Jeunes de Lavaltrie, 15 kilometres south of Joliette, on Tuesday evening to offer their support to young people who drop by the youth centre.