Car Safety for Teens
Your “baby” has just turned 15 and is learning to drive. Few situations in life are more terrifying to parents than envisioning their child behind the wheel of a car. While most teenagers do their best to be responsible drivers, the fact remains that they are highly inexperienced and may not always make the right choices. The attorneys at Rader Law Group have developed the following tips to help your teens minimize their risk of being involved in a car crash:
- Obey posted speed limits. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), speeding was a factor in 27% of fatal accidents with a teen driver in 2019 . Teenagers, like many adults, may be tempted to drive faster than the posted speed limit, especially if they see their parent engaging in this behavior. Talk to your teen about obeying the speed limit and model this behavior for them as well.
- Avoid distracted driving. The NHTSA reports that “dialing a phone number while driving increases your teen’s risk of crashing by six times, and texting while driving increases the risk by 23 times” . Teens should avoid using a cellphone at all – even if it is hands-free. Another risky activity that can cause distractions is driving with passengers other than a parent. Florida is one of only five states that allow newly-licensed drivers to transport passengers. Other distracting activities that should be avoided are switching radio stations and eating or drinking.
- Only drive during optimal conditions. Driving at night, especially late at night, can raise the risk of an accident – visibility is lower, there are more impaired drivers on the road, and your teen could be drowsy. Similarly, driving during inclement weather also raises accident risks; roads could be slippery from the rain or there could be low visibility due to a storm or fog.
- Wear a seatbelt. Chances are that your child has grown up wearing one. However, many teens make the poor choice to stop wearing one when they are driving. The NHTSA found that 45% of teen drivers who died in a car crash in 2019 were unbuckled . Make sure your teens understand that wearing a seat belt is the law, but even more important, it can save their lives.
Watching your teen drive on their own can be nerve-wracking. But by taking the time to have ongoing conversations about car safety, you can help your child to remain safe while behind the wheel.
Rader Law Group, LLC
With decades and decades combined experience, the attorneys at Rader Law Group understand the meaning of Justice. Our one and only mission is to get each client the justice he or she deserves; our team of attorneys never back down when we know our client is right.
We offer our clients the compassion and guidance they need as they work through trying times in their lives. The balance of working relentlessly for our clients combined with our caring approach has helped us achieve a fantastic record of success with our clients. We get our clients the justice they deserve.
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References Used:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Teen Safe Driving: How Teens Can Be Safer Drivers | NHTSA. Accessed April 4, 2022.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Teen Safe Driving: How Teens Can Be Safer Drivers | NHTSA. Accessed April 4, 2022.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Teen Safe Driving: How Teens Can Be Safer Drivers | NHTSA. Accessed April 4, 2022.
