Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Teenage Car Crashes – Is Weather Really A Factor?

Every time we get behind the wheel of a car, we begin a risk assessment process. We look both ways, determine the speed limit on rainy days or determine whether we can accelerate and go 10 over the speed limit. If you’re an adult, you most likely have years of driving experience so the process is quick.

Teenage car accident statistics is scary. Parents have heightened anxiety when their teens are ready to get behind the wheel. With a teenage driver, there is a lack of judgement. They don’t carry the same experience as an adult would and the chances of making poor decisions based on emotional and impulsive behavior is a lot greater as a teen. This inexperience puts teenagers at a greater risk for car crashes.

During the first 500 miles that a teenager drives, crashes are 10 times more likely than for an adult driver. Teen drivers make up for 7 percent of licensed drives and account for 14 percent of the fatalities in accidents and 50% of those deaths occur on the weekend.

We’ve heard time and time again how dangerous cell phones can be while driving. Inexperienced drivers SHOULD NOT be on their cell phones chatting or texting while behind the wheel. Teenagers are pretty connected nowadays so it’s pretty hard to get them off their phones. We should increase our education to our teenagers about how fatal cell phones, not wearing seat belts or drinking and driving can be.

We need to stress the importance to our teenagers that they are not invisible. Being distracted by loud music and a car full of friends may seem like a grand time but being a responsible driver will keep them safe and alive to enjoy many years with their friends and music.

Parents and educators need to be more strict. We need to alert them of the risks of distracted driving, the risk of using their cell phones while driving and the risk of speeding. Our teens need to stop making the same mistakes that have lead to many teenage deaths.

So as parents, how do we do this? We reduce the risk by setting limitations. We restrict the number of passengers allowed in the car, determine the responsibility and restrictions on the times the car can be used.

Always remember, it’s your car and your rules. Safety comes from us as parents first. For more valuable tips and information, visit www.prudentvaluecars.com

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