Keeping Teens Safe While Driving

If you are a parent to a young teenage driver, statistics show that they may be at more risk for getting into a car accident than other drivers. Drivers who recently earned their license had the highest accident rate, leading safety experts to believe that inexperience matters. In fact, it can take years for drivers to hone their skills behind the wheel.

Why do more teenagers get into car accidents? There are numerous reasons why teenagers seem to be at an increased risk for getting into a car accident, and being aware of them can make keeping teens safe while driving and easier thing to accomplish:

• Passengers – teenagers routinely drive in cars with their friends. Unfortunately, having teenage passengers can increase the likelihood of an accident. Passengers take the driver’s attention off the road by playing pranks, encouraging risky behavior, and being loud and aggressive.
• Distracted driving – teenagers are also more likely to engage in distracted driving behaviors such as cell phone use, playing music, or eating. Numerous teenage drivers have also admitted to using Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram while they are driving.
• Risky Driving – teenagers are more likely to engage in risky driving behaviors, such as tailgating, speeding, and drag racing. They may try to run a light, outrun a train, or even make illegal lane changes. This behavior can cause devastating accidents.
• Drinking and Driving – teenagers are also more likely to get drunk and drive home. In just one month, the CDC stated that 28.3% of high school students reported that they had been driven home by someone who had been drinking.
• Drug use and Driving – teenagers are also more likely to drive under the influence of drugs.

Further Reading: Avoiding Summer Accidents and Injuries

Keeping Teenagers Safe While Driving

While these statistics are certainly not comforting for many parents, there are ways you can help keep your new teenage driver safe. One way to do that? Ride in the car with them as much as possible. One study showed that teen crash rates actually decreased by 75% when an adult was present in the car. Other ways parents can keep their teens safe include:

• Insist that teenagers drive with a permit for a full year before getting their license.
• Insist that teenagers take a driving safety course to learn how to navigate difficult and dangerous situations.
• Urge teenagers to avoid driving in a car with their friends for the first several months after getting their license.
• Limit the number of passengers in your teen’s car
• Create a Parent-Teen driving agreement
• Enforce a reasonable curfew – more accidents occur at night
• Give your teenager numbers to cab companies and Uber so they can avoid getting into a car with a drunk driver.
• Buckle up every time – and demand that your child do the same
• Make a zero tolerance rule for drinking and driving
• Make distraction such as texting and driving forbidden
• Set good examples of how to drive safely

When Accidents Happen

If your teenager is involved in an accident and injured, it is important to contact an experienced Colorado car accident attorney immediately. Your teenager may be left dealing with serious and lifelong injuries as a result of the accident and without a lawyer on your side, you could be stuck paying medical expenses and rehabilitation fees. If your child’s injuries are severe, you will need money to pay for long-term care as well.

Contact Our Experienced Broomfield Personal Injury Lawyers

If you or someone you love has been injured in a car accident in Broomfield, Northglenn, Westminster, Thornton, or anywhere in Colorado, it is important to contact our experienced personal injury attorneys immediately. At Hull & Zimmerman, P.C., our committed personal injury lawyers are dedicated to the belief that everyone deserves justice. Contact us at (303) 423-1770 or (866) 385-3505.

Our personal injury lawyers have extensive experience representing injured accident victims in Broomfield, Arvada, Superior, Lafayette, Louisville, Erie, Brighton, Commerce City, Northglenn, Westminster, Thornton, Longmont, and throughout Colorado.