Fatal Teen Accidents: Why do they never learn?

Hi folks -- I was asked to do a web video this morning for HuffPost on fatal teen accidents but schedule and a lingering illness got in the way.  However, just yesterday a stunning accident occurred within a mile of where I live in Washington Township, Ohio and so it is appropriate to comment again on the high teenage fatal accident rates -- increasing rather than following more the general trends in the U.S. As often happens, the accident in question was more than likely the result of alcohol and speed.  We drove by the scene last night and saw a 30 foot by 30 foot piece of grassed area totally charred.  The tree that was hit was already cut to pieces and ready for firewood. If it wouldn't be for the marked land, you would never know anything happened. The young man who died had been an excellent football player at Alter High School and student at Ohio State. The driver was OK -- it seems that in these kind of crashing -- assuming alcohol was involved -- the driver always gets off easy.  But the passenger does not. Note the 2010 BMW was nearly cut in half by the impact with the tree and then with a ruptured gas tank incinerated.
What causes this?
1. A young person's sense of immortality?
2. A fatal mentality that life has no purpose?
3. Youthful desperation about the life ahead?
4. An intoxication of speed intensified by alcohol consumption? Life as it is is simply too staid?