Driving might be a badge of freedom for teen-agers, but it can also be deadly. Traffic crashes are the leading cause of teen fatalities in the United States, accounting for 44 percent, according to the National Safety Council (NSC). A new study suggests that urban sprawl could put teens at more risk.
There is a strong relationship between the number of miles a teen drives and the risk of injury or death, said lead author Matthew Trowbridge, a fellow of the University of Michigan Injury Research Center. "So, are there things in the environment that promote driving exposure?"