In 2020, teen roadway deaths increased 14.3%, the largest year-on-year increase during the previous decade, according to ValuePenguin.com, which reported overall teen driver fatalities declined 6.4% from 2011-2020. During the period, around 13,500 teenage drivers died. Speeding was involved in 44.4% of teen driver deaths during the period, according to ValuePenguin, which reported speeding was 38% more likely in teen driver deaths than across all driver deaths. "Teen drivers are more likely to underestimate or not recognize dangerous situations, leading them to make critical errors that lead to fatal crashes," Divya Sangameshwar, ValuePenguin auto insurance expert, said in a report. "Older drivers develop a sixth sense when it comes to road awareness, which is something teens are still developing." She noted that older drivers have developed habits such as regularly checking mirrors or blind spots and driving a safe distance behind other vehicles, things that younger drivers are not as accustomed to doing. The above slideshow highlights the 10 states that saw the highest rate of teen driver deaths, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. During the period, Delaware saw the biggest increase in teen driver deaths with a 300% increase from 2011 to 2020. However, ValuePenguin pointed out that the number of fatalities was still relatively small in Delaware, going from two deaths in 2011 to eight in 2020. In comparison, the state with the highest rate of teen driver deaths sees more than 25 each year, on average. Related: |

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