Car accidents are the leading cause of death among teenagers in the United States. And despite the known dangers associated with driving as a teen, only one-quarter of teenagers’ parents have had a conversation with their kids about safe driving. Because National Teen Driver Safety Week, which takes place October 18 through 24, is quickly approaching, now is as good as time as ever to focus on and celebrate safe driving.
What is National Teen Driver Safety Week?
National Teen Driver Safety Week is a week that focuses on understanding the dangers that are present to teens in the car and taking actions to mitigate those risks. During this week, parents are highly encouraged to speak with their teens about safe driving.
What causes teen accidents?
More than 2,614 teen drivers, ages 15 through 19, were involved in fatal crashes in the year 2013. Thousands more were involved in injury crashes. While teen accidents can occur due to a variety of factors -- and are not always the fault of the teen involved -- some dangers are much more common than others, including:
- Distracted driving
- Use of a handheld mobile device
- Speeding
- Use of alcohol or other impairing substances
Driving can be overwhelming for a teen, especially when he or she is impaired, or there are distracting factors present within the vehicle.
What You Can Do to Reduce the Number of Teen Accidents
If you’re a parent, there is one significant step that you can take to help reduce the number of teen accidents that occur every year: Talk to your teen about safe driving. This includes discussing the dangers of using a phone for texting or talking while driving, having multiple passengers in the car, driving while impaired or under the influence, and driving at an unsafe speed. You should also consider setting some rules for your teen when driving.
For more tips on teen driving for Seattle parents, refer to our blog.
How to Spread the Word
Safe driving for everyone, not just teens, is incredibly important and can save lives. You can get others involved in National Teen Driver Safety Week by letting others in your neighborhood and administrators at your child’s school know just how important safe driving is. If your teen is ever involved in a car accident, our attorneys can help your family to recover compensation. To learn more, call Max Meyers Law PLLC today at 425-399-7000 or contact us online.
