Motor Vehicle Accidents Motor Vehicle Accidents: The True #1 Cause Of Teen Deaths. Motor vehicle accidents are the accident category's leading section. In fact, even if motor vehicle accidents were their separate category altogether, they would still rank as the primary cause of teen death. 6 days ago
Content Warning: This article describes topics that could be triggering to some readers, including death, teenage suicide, homicide, and other potentially complex concerns.
As a parent or guardian, you may feel that it is your responsibility to ensure that your children remain safe, despite their potential tendencies to experiment and rebel. If you're the caregiver or parent of a teen who often takes risks, you may wonder what the leading cause of death for adolescents is.
What Is The Primary Cause Of Teenage Deaths?
In a phase between childhood and adulthood, teenagers are often characterized by rebellious natures and the desire to test new paths. While it can sometimes feel worrisome for a parent, rebelliousness in teenagers can be natural and beneficial.
Many teenagers make mistakes in figuring out what they want or who they are. However, does natural recklessness factor into the statistics related to the primary cause of death for teens? There are two leading causes of death in teenagers, discussed below.
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The Leading Cause Of Death In Teens: Accidents
Over 30% of teenage and child deaths result from unintentional injury. However, this statistic may be further separated and refined into subcategories.
Among accidents, the subcategories may include:
Motor vehicle accidents
Drug poisoning
Unintentional drowning
Transportation (besides motor vehicles)
Accidental discharge of a firearm
Accident Prevention While accidents can be a heavy topic and sometimes painful to talk about or consider, consider talking about these realities with your children and family. Teenagers may not have the life experience to guide them the way many adults do, so they may need someone to rely on to offer them support, conversation, and understanding. Support and education can be helpful when dealing with taboo, complicated, or scary topics.
Motor Vehicle Accidents: The True No. 1 Cause Of Teen Deaths
Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of accident-related deaths in teenagers. Motor vehicle accidents make up over 50% of all accident-related deaths in adolescents, making it the leading cause overall.
When surveyed, at least one in four teenagers stated that they don't use a seatbelt on every ride. Reasons for this included that they forgot, were not planning on traveling far, were going to a party, or the seatbelt was uncomfortable.
Texting while driving may also be a primary factor, with two out of every five teenagers in the same study admitting that they have ridden with a teen driver who was texting. A similar number of teens also admitted to riding as a passenger with a friend who was talking on a phone, and 95% said they think other teens have ridden with drivers who were texting or talking on a phone.
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Lastly, alcohol consumption may be a significant factor as well, with 40% of alcohol-related fatal car crashes involving teens. This percentage used to be significantly higher, but the number has gone down with widespread effort to curb the prevalence of drunk driving.
Talking to your teen about safe driving, not entering a car with a drunk driver, and practicing seatbelt safety may be beneficial for preventing this type of accident. Even if your teen does not drive, they may know someone who does.
The Second Cause Of Death In Teens: Suicide and Homicide
With the onset of adolescence, many teens want more responsibility than they had as children. They may want to shape, define and refine their identity. This period in life can also be earmarked by new experiences and the pursuit of dreams and aspirations. However, this self-discovery period also comes with changes in their biology, including changing physical appearances and a higher dose of hormones.
Psychologists have often stated that the ages 13-19 are undoubtedly some of the most emotionally turbulent times in our lives. It is also often theorized that at this time in our lives, many mental health issues, like depression, anxiety, addiction, and body dysmorphic disorder, may take root in our minds.
As parents, guardians, loved ones, and friends, it may help to focus not only on teens' physical health but also their mental health. Studies show that teens experience higher rates of suicide and homicide than adults.
If you or your teenage child or family is experiencing suicidal thoughts, reach out for support from the 988 Lifeline website by texting or calling 988 for 24/7 support.
If your teenage child or a family has communicated homicidal urges to you, consider reaching out to a mental health professional as soon as possible. If your teen has received a threat, is being bullied, or has information about another child who has indicated an intention of hurting others, report it to their school and the authorities.
What Can I Do To Help My Teenager As A Parent?
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While your teens may still be growing into functioning adults, they aren't quite there yet. Many complex neurological changes occur before teenagers' brains operate the same way adult brains do.
Being a teenager can be characterized by making mistakes and learning from them; however, as their parent or guardian, you may work to ensure these mistakes are not fatal or harmful to your child.
Teaching your teens critical thinking techniques and highlighting the importance of safety can go a long way toward preventing accidents.
Do You Want To Learn More About Mental Health? Talk To A Licensed Therapist
Getting Professional Help
At times, taking the time to listen to their problems is all you need to do to show your teen that you care and are there for them. However, the importance of seeking out professional help may not be overlooked.
If you think your teen is showing signs of depression, anxiety, or other mental health concerns, speaking to a mental health professional as soon as possible could prevent devastating outcomes.
Many parents opt into online therapy for their child or themselves to handle the changes that can come with adolescence. Attending a counseling session from home can be beneficial for parents with busy lives.
Online therapy has been proven by many clinical studies to be just as effective, if not more effective, than in-person therapy. Digital cognitive behavioral therapy has been proven to reduce the symptoms of anxiety and depression, offering some much-needed relief to people who seek out these avenues of care.
If you believe that you, a teenager you love, or both, could benefit from online therapy, reach out to a certified counselor on an online platform such as BetterHelp to start your journey toward mental peace.
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