HENDERSON, Ky (WEHT) – For teenagers, getting a driver’s license is an exciting moment, but it can also be a very dangerous one for parents.
Motor-vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death among ages 16 to 19, which also happens to be the age group with the highest risk of crashes.
WalletHub did a study on where all 50 states ranked for teen drivers, and in the Tri-State area, Illinois ranked 7th, Indiana ranked 15th and Kentucky ranked 21st.
To figure a total score, the 50 states were used across 23 key metrics from teen driver fatalities to average cost of car repairs to the presence of impaired-driving laws.
- Illinois
- Safety – 10th
- Economic Environment – 33rd
- Driving Laws – 7th
- Indiana
- Safety – 20th
- Economic Environment – 19th
- Driving Laws – 20th
- Kentucky
- Safety – 25th
- Economic Environment – 10th
- Driving Laws – 27th
It’s not just driving related issues that can cause headaches for teens and parents, WalletHub also found motor-vehicle crashes involving 13 to 19-year-olds result in about $40.7 billion each year in costs from medical expenses and work loss, not counting costs of auto maintenance, insurance premiums, traffic citations and other expenses.
For a full list of results, click here.
