Reaching out to teenagers is notoriously difficult. Even trying to tell your teenage son or daughter the proper way to fold their laundry can be a battle of wits as they resist your instruction. So what is a parent to do if they need to teach their teenager the importance of safe driving techniques and behaviors? The Traffic Safety Marketing (TSM) group is looking to do its part in simplifying this difficult yet important process by offering the National Teen Driver Safety Week campaign from October 16th to October 22nd 2016.
TSM has pointed out that the leading cause of death for teenagers of driving age in the United States – 15 to 19 years old – is, in fact, car accidents. According to car crash statistics, more than 2,600 teenagers lost their lives in car accidents that involved a teenage driver; another 130,000 suffered serious injuries in the same circumstances.
Last year’s theme for National Teen Driver Safety Week – and likely this year’s as well – was “5 to Drive”, or five ground rules that parents should enforce and practice themselves. After all, teenagers learn from example more than anything else.
The five rules of safe teen driving were:
- No cell phones: It should be self-explanatory, even to a teenager, that driving while using a cellphone is dangerous. No texting, no videos, no changing music, etc.
- No extra passengers: Statistics show that the more people in a car driven by a teenager, the more likely an accident will occur. This may be caused by additional distractions or the teen’s inclination to impress his or her friends with reckless driving.
- No speeding: Teenage drivers with good intentions still speed too often as they learn how to handle their vehicles.
- No alcohol: Driving drunk dramatically increases one’s chance of getting into a catastrophic car accident. Driving drunk and as an inexperienced teenager makes the situation that much worse.
- Buckle up: Wearing a seatbelt can reduce your chance of suffering a serious injury by 50%, according to some studies. The behavior of buckling up or choosing not to buckle up carries over into adulthood so it is important to address it now.
Want to know more about National Teen Driver Safety Week? Click here to go to the TSM website. Need to make a lawsuit after being hurt by a teen driver, or after your teen driver was hurt in a collision? You can call 888.711.5947 to connect with The Gilbert Law Group® and our nationally-recognized personal injury attorneys. With our help, you may be able to secure the compensation you deserve, so schedule a free consultation today.
