Everyone who drives on the roads expects that they will arrive at their destinations safely. When there are unsafe drivers on the road, they pose a risk to everyone who is out. It might interest some people to know that Memorial Day kicked off what is dubbed the “100 deadliest days” for teen drivers.
Newly-licensed teens, even those who have been driving for a couple of years, are more likely to be involved in accidents during this 100-day period. This is because school is out so more of these drivers are on the roads. It is up to parents to minimize the risks that their teens take on the roads.
Distractions are the leading cause
The most deadly thing that drivers can do is to become distracted. Distractions account for nearly 59 percent of the accidents in one study of 2,229 dash camera videos. The six seconds just prior to an accident were the focus of this research. It found that the most common distraction was others in the car, which accounted for 15 percent of the accidents. Cellphones came in second at 12 percent. Third was attending to or looking at something in the car, which totaled 11 percent.
Minimizing these risks
Minimizing the distractions that these teen drivers have in the vehicle is important for their safety and that of everyone else on the road. Parents need to emphasize the hazard of texting and using cellphones while driving. Texting leads to an increase in the likelihood of being involved in collisions — 23 times that of drivers who aren't distracted by cellphones.
Teen drivers don't need to have too many passengers in the vehicle and shouldn't permit passengers to engage in horseplay while riding. This can minimize the distractions that the driver faces.
After an accident with a teen driver
If you are involved in an accident with a teen driver, you should contact the police so there is an accident report made. Seek medical care if you need it. You can't let the fact that the other driver is young prevent you from taking steps to preserve your right to seek compensation. Even in these cases, innocent victims shouldn't be held financially liable for the accident.
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