For those of you with teen drivers, you know having them out on the road can be stressful. While they are enjoying the newfound freedom that comes with a driver’s license comes the subsequent stress of being a parent or loved one waiting for them to return home safely. Unfortunately, there are a number of dangerous driving behaviors commonly exhibited by teens. Fortunately, educating yourself and your teen about these drivers and why avoiding them can be a matter of life or death can be effective at helping keep everyone on the roads safer.
Dangerous Teen Driver Behaviors
According to Safe Kids Worldwide, over 2,500 teens are fatally injured in car crashes each year. In fact, crashes are a leading cause of death for teens and even outrank violence and disease. To avoid becoming a statistic, teens need to be aware that dangerous driving behaviors are putting lives at risk and need to be avoided at all costs. Teens, here are some of the most dangerous driving behaviors your demographic exhibits on the roads. Stay safe out there.
First, teens are prone to skipping seat belts. As a minor inconvenience, it is not worth it to forego wearing a seat belt. Not only is it legally required in most states, but it is also a life-saving device that can prevent serious and even fatal injury in the event of a crash. Safe Kids Worldwide reports that over half of teens killed in motor vehicle crashes were not wearing their seat belts.
Texting while driving is another common and dangerous teen driving behavior. If you have a teen, you know how glued to their phone they can be. Unfortunately, this does not necessarily stop when they are behind the wheel. Texting while driving can be extremely dangerous. Consider the fact that you take your eyes away from the road for an average of 5 seconds when you text. When traveling at 55 mph, you can travel the length of a football field in that amount of time. Consider what could happen if you drive that span while essentially not looking to see what is happening on the road and around you. It could lead to a devastating crash all too easily.
Another dangerous driving behavior of teens is having too many passengers in the vehicle at one time. More passengers mean more distractions. Did you know that when two or more teens ride together in a vehicle with a teen driver, there is double to triple the risk of a fatal crash occurring? Did you know that it is unlikely that any of the teens in the vehicle will speak up even when they feel unsafe with a driver who is not paying attention to the road? In fact, a third of teens report that they even feel unsafe riding with a parent.
Other dangerous driving behaviors of teens include drinking and driving, nighttime driving, and speeding. As a teen driver, what can you do to help everyone stay safer? You can always use a seat belt, never text and driver, limit how many passengers you have in your vehicle, and comply with the rules of the road, such as no drinking and driving and complying with posted speed limits.
Personal Injury Attorneys
We must all work together to try and keep everyone as safe as possible out there on the road. If someone is not doing their part and you were injured as a result, turn to the dedicated personal injury team at Compass Law Group to get you the monetary compensation you deserve. Contact us today.
