Two Idaho Teens Killed in Car Accident

Two Idaho teens killed in car accident in Post Falls may have been under the influence of alcohol. Kootenai County Sherriff’s office is currently investigating a car accident near West Hayden Avenue that left both the driver and the passenger of a convertible dead. The two teens were traveling westbound on Hayden Avenue at high speeds when the car left the road. The car crashed through a fence, rolled through trees, and finally struck a gas line. When officers arrived at the scene, one teen had been ejected from the vehicle while one was still inside the vehicle. Both teens were pronounced dead at the scene. According to deputies, alcohol was present at the scene but it is not yet known whether it was a factor in the car accident. Toxicology results will take several weeks.

Statistics of Drunk Driving Teens

According to the CDC, the percentage of teens in high school who drink and drive has dramatically decreased since the early 90s (1991). In fact, the decrease is 54 percent, which indicates that drinking and driving prevention programs are effective among teenagers. Currently, it is estimated that 1 in 10 high schoolers drink and drive. Young drivers are 17 times more likely to die in a crash when they have a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or higher. This, combined with the fact that teen drivers are three times more likely than more experienced drivers to be involved in a fatal crash, blood alcohol content aside, means that there is still significant risk to teens who decide to get behind the wheel after drinking. Graduated drivers licenses, minimum legal drinking age, and zero tolerance policies are certainly effective in providing a baseline for teenage drinking, but there is still more that can be done.

Prevent Teens from Driving Drunk

According to research from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the biggest factor in preventing teen drinking and driving is parental involvement. When parents are aware of their teens activities and enforce “rules of the road,” new drivers report lower rates of risky driving, traffic violations, and crashes.