South Dakota One of Worst States For Teen Drivers

South Dakota has a lot going for it: low unemployment, a thriving economy, no state income tax, tons of natural beauty, lower cost of living and crime rates, good schools, and much more.

Yet with all of the great things about our state, it does have some shortcomings. In a recent Wallet Hub study of the Best and Worst States for Teen Drivers, South Dakota showed up in the bottom fourth of states in 42nd place.

Get our free mobile app

READ MORE: Check out South Dakota snow records, history & wild facts

Yes — South Dakota often ranks as one of the most dangerous states for teen drivers, and there are several reasons for that:

• Early licensing age – Teens can start driving with a permit at just 14 years old, which is younger than almost anywhere else in the U.S. That gives inexperienced drivers more time on the road without much maturity.

• Rural roads and long distances – Much of South Dakota is rural, meaning teens often drive long distances at higher speeds on highways or less-maintained roads. This increases crash risks.

• Weather challenges – Snow, ice, and high winds can make driving tricky, especially for inexperienced drivers who haven’t built up winter driving skills.

• High rates of risky behaviors – Studies show South Dakota teens have higher rates of speeding, distracted driving, and low seatbelt use compared to many other states.

• Traffic fatalities – The state has had consistently higher-than-average fatality rates for teen drivers. Sparse law enforcement in rural areas sometimes means less oversight of risky driving.

When putting the statistics together, Wallet Hub considered 3 main categories:

• Safety - teen driver fatalities, vehicle miles traveled, poor behavior (phone use, aggressive driving, poor turning, etc.), drinking and driving, quality of roads, and more.
• Economic Environment - maximum cost of speeding and red light tickets, fines for not wearing seatbelts, average cost of gas and car repairs, and more.
• Driving Laws - presence of occupant protection, distracted driving, impaired driving laws, and more.

So, while South Dakota offers independence for young drivers at an early age, the combination of inexperience, rural conditions, and risky habits makes it a challenging and sometimes dangerous state for teens behind the wheel.

For more information and to see the complete study, go to Wallet Hub.

Source: Wallet Hub