Distractions such as peer passengers (driving someone around your own age) and talking or texting on a cell phone while driving can be deadly for teens. Driving a friend home from practice or to the movies may seem harmless, but your crash risk doubles if you have one peer passenger in the car and actually more than triples with two or more peer passengers. Cell phones pose another major threat. Although many people consider a hands-free cell a safe option, crash risk is higher when ANY type of cell phone is used. These distractions are so dangerous because they take your focus off of the road and lower your reaction time for dealing with potential hazards. – “Why Teens May Crash,” The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia How does the information in the passage encourage responsible decisions by teen drivers? Talking or texting is deadly for teen drivers. Using a hands-free cell phone is safe while driving. The crash risk doubles for teens with one peer passenger. Distractions while driving lower the reaction time.