Car Acidents Are #1 Cause of Teen Deaths
The Reader’s Digest recommends the following 3 steps that can be follow to prevent accidents and save many teen lives.
1. Discuss The Dangers With Your Kids
Teenager’s prefrontal cortex of their brain is not fully formed. This part of the brain is responsible for controlling impulses. Teens, therefore, have a hard time sorting through all of the impulses and understanding the risks associated with them. Teens simply fail to see certain behaviors as dangerous. In a recent study, only 28% of the 5,600 teens surveyed said using a cell phone is a driving distraction and 10% said the dame about having other teens in the car. Unfortunately, only 20% of schools offer drivers education today, down from 90% in the 1980s. It is therefore critical that parents take an active role in explaining the dangers of distracted driving for their teenagers.
2. Fight for Stricter State Laws
Everyone can agree that one does not suddenly become a good driver because they turn age 16. It is therefore important for state laws to include provisions that restrict new teen drivers to a probation period where they are only allowed 1 passenger, cell phones are banned, and driving is restricted at night. This probation period should last until age 18 or other reasonable time frame. A recent study by Johns Hopkins University for the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that a tough phase-in law with penalties could decrease deaths among 16 year old drivers by 38%, as demonstrated by Georgia law that slashed fatal 16 year old crashes by 37% over 5 years. States with the toughest teen driving laws have the lowest fatality rates.
Currently, 47 states have some form of a phased in law, however, most of these state laws are not written as effectively as they could be. Only 8 of them set the minimum age for a permit at age 16, less than 10 prohibit driving after dark and only 12 have strict limits on the number of passengers allowed. As a parent of a teen, make a point to find out the law in your state and the ways in which you can help lobby your state officials for tougher restrictions.
3. Set Rules at Home
If you happen to be in a state that has weak teen driving laws, you can still set rules for your teens. First and foremost is the need to continually stress the importance of wearing a seat belt. You can also set your own household limit for driving at night and number of passengers your teen can bring in the car at one time.
In summary, speed, distractions and driver inexperience are the leading causes of teen fatalities in car accidents. It is important to continually educate yourself and your teenage driver of the rules of the road. Repetitious reminders will help teens overcome impulses and poor judgment. Lobbying your state legislator for stricter rules is an additional ways to help protect your teen from an accident.
If your teenager has been in a car accident, please contact an Experienced Teen Car Accident Attorney to discuss your child’s rights and financial assistance with any necessary medical treatments.
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