Week 6 Blog

Teenage Accidental Death

 

This week’s material I found most interesting and shocking was the number of firearm and motor vehicle deaths to adolescents. The difference in gender/ethnicity and cause of death is appalling. As Latin American and African American males were more likely to die to firearms and European Americans and Asian Americans were more likely to die in motor vehicle accidents. After reading our chapters this week I can see why these causes of death are so prevalent. There is a lack of development in the frontal cortex of the teenage brain, making teenagers impulsive.

 

When I was a teenager I thought I was ten feet tall and bullet proof. I used to participate in the illegal street races, shoplift at the mall, steal alcohol, and just act all around crazy. I never thought I would get caught or be in trouble. Until I was in a car accident and my mom found out. That was a big wake up call. I took a lot of risks that I look back on now and say to myself “what on earth was I thinking?” It is all part of the teenage mind.

 

Our texts says that many of these accidental deaths are preventable. Monitoring who your children are with, who is driving the car they are riding in? How old are your children’s friends? Does your child or their friends drink? Do your child’s friend’s parents have a firearm? I think those are all important things to ask of your teenager and their friend’s parents.

 

For research I would like to know if there is a socioeconomic influence on these deaths. Do these children come from home that have a single parent? Or parents that work multiple jobs? Parents who are unemployed? How much does their financial standing have to do with the likelihood of an accidental death?