What Every Driver Needs To Know About Teen Drivers & The 100 Deadliest Days
The leading cause of death among the 15- to 19-year-old population is motor vehicle accidents, with the months of summer being the deadliest time. In fact, the National Safety Council says that Memorial Day starts the 100 deadliest days for teenagers who drive.
More young teen drivers are on the roadways, many of them for the first time as newly licensed drivers. They may be distracted by mobile devices or just goofing off and being reckless. Regardless of the reason, there are a few important things about teen drivers that every driver needs to be aware of, particularly during the summer months. Here's what you need to know.
Be Aware of Teen Drivers
In many instances in your day-to-day life, it's important to be aware of your surroundings no matter where you are or what you are doing. However, it is crucial to be aware of where teen drivers are and what they are doing or not doing. Teens have a four times higher risk of causing a car accident than someone older.
Because of this, it's important for all other drivers to be able to identify teen drivers while sharing the roadways with them. Here are a few clues that suggest the person driving near you has the propensity of causing a motor vehicle accident as a teen driver:
- the music is loud
- there are several boisterous people in the car
- the driver is speeding
- the steering is jerky and reckless
- the driver keeps looking down or at something other the road and mirrors
- the interior is glowing as if a mobile device screen is active
- the driver doesn't seem to pay attention, causing them to slam on the brakes or swerve
If you notice any of the above signs of a reckless and/or distracted teen driver, try to keep your distance from their vehicle. Use your judgement and contact the police if you feel the driver may cause an accident and/or it appears as if the driver is intoxicated or under the influence of a substance.
Look Ahead for Safety Issues
According to research by The Allstate Foundation, more than two-thirds of all parents wish they had spent more time allowing their teens to practice driving in high-risk situations before taking them to get their driver's licenses. Teen drivers simply do not have the experience they need to handle various situations, particularly high risk situations such as driving in road construction work zones.
If you spot a teen driver who isn't driving carefully or fully engaged in driving, it's important to look ahead to determine whether or not there are any high risk situations coming up that could cause the teen to lose control. For example, if there is a sign of road construction ahead, is the teen slowing down and/or merging? If there is a lot of cross traffic, does the teen appear to be paying attention to the other vehicles? Err on the side of caution and avoid the teen driver.
Be Prepared for an Accident
Always be prepared to stop for an emergency, such as if a car accident happens right in front of you, especially if you witness a teen driver sharing the roadways with you and he or she appears to be at high risk of causing a motor vehicle accident. It's important to understand that if you end up involved in an accident caused by a teen, you may need to guide the teen in what to do. He or she may not know that they are required to exchange insurance information if injuries from the accident doesn't prevent them from doing so.
For more information or assistance, contact companies like Palmetto Injury Lawyers.
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