All parents understand how nerve-wracking it can be to watch their child get behind the wheel of a car for the first time. There’s good reason for this reaction, as car accidents kill 11,000 adolescents every year.
You can limit your teen’s risk of a wreck by ensuring that he or she drives safely and responsibly. To this end, it’s important to understand what factors contribute to teen driver accidents.
Teens that drive with two or more of their friends in the car are three times more likely to cause a deadly crash compared to teens who don’t drive with peers.
Teen boys are particularly vulnerable. Adolescent male drivers are six times as likely to drive aggressively or violate traffic laws when driving with a peer.
If there’s one thing you can do to protect your teen driver, it’s to emphasize that seat belts save lives. Teens are far less likely to wear their seat belts than are adult drivers.
Teen drivers are inexperienced, and that leads to mistakes that could be deadly. Distracted driving, speeding, and failing to pay attention to the road are collectively responsible for about half of the crashes caused by teenage drivers.
It’s not just teens who are more vulnerable to nighttime accidents; drivers of all ages are more likely to crash at night. Protect your teen by preventing him or her from driving after dark—at least until after he or she has proven to be a safe, responsible driver.
Likewise, adult drivers should beware of teens who might be on the roads after dark.
It’s no secret that teen drivers are responsible for many traffic accidents and injuries. If you or a loved one has been injured because of a reckless teen driver, you could be entitled to compensation.
Contact the attorneys of Greenstein & Milbauer, LLP at 1-800-VICTIM2 (842-8462) or complete the form on our website to schedule a free consultation.
