Keeping Your Teen Drivers Safe This Summer

Summer is upon us and that means teens are loose on the roads. According to a study conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, the highest number of teen deaths occur during the year’s “100 deadliest days” between Memorial Day and Labor Day. The study found that in 2013, over 371,000 people were injured and 2,927 were killed in crashes involving teen drivers between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Risk of Texting While Driving

The biggest dangers for teen drivers are texting and talking on cell phones. Although adult drivers often engage in the same dangerous behaviors as teens, teens lack the experience to compensate for the distractions. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, cell phone use while driving causes about 1.6 million crashes every year, resulting in 500,000 injuries and 6,000 deaths.

It’s critical that you prevent your teen from becoming a statistic. It’s important that you put limits on when, where, and with whom they can drive. You should also model good driving behavior for them. There are a number of apps that can be used to promote safe driving as well. Some notify parents when their teen is using cell phone functions that distract while driving. Others prevent teens from using the phone while driving. There are also GPS trackers as well as apps that offer rewards to teens who do not text and drive.

Seek Help Today

If you or a family member is involved in a serious accident with a teen driver, you should speak with a car accident attorney. You have the right to compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more. If you are in the Houston area, call our experienced attorneys today.