That means 22 percent of all Warren County crashes involved teen drivers, the second-highest rate in Ohio, according to Matt Bruning, ODOT spokesman. Only Holmes County in northeast Ohio, with a rate of 23.3 percent, ranked higher.
Teens account for 5 percent of Ohio drivers but are involved in 15 percent of the crashes, Bruning said.
MORE: 15-year-old driving at time of fatal crash
The number one reason teens crash is their lack of experience, according to ODOT.
Teens are more likely than older drivers to underestimate dangerous situations or not be able to recognize hazardous situations, ODOT said.
Teens are also more likely than adults to make critical decision errors that lead to serious crashes.
MORE: 3 Bellbrook students remembered after fatal crash
As part of events planned during National Teen Driver Safety Week, Oct.15 - Oct. 21, students at Kings High School will hear from Brock Dietrich with Impact Teen Drivers on Friday, Oct. 20.
His daughter, Sydnee Dietrich, 17, of Gahanna, died on Oct. 20, 2013, after a crash in which she was texting while driving. She was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle.
MORE: Clark County teen killed in crash remembered in vigil
Also during the Kings school event, scheduled from 7:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Friday, the students will have a chance to use ODOT’s distracted driver simulator and participate in other activities to highlight the need to pay attention and buckle up while driving.
The school is at 5500 Columbia Road in Kings Mills in Warren County.
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