Car Accident Risk Factors For Teenage Drivers
Car accidents are one of the leading reasons for deaths among teenagers in the US. However, teenage car crashes can be prevented and there are proven strategies available that can prove the safety of these young drivers on the roads. The risk of injuries sustained during car crashes is higher in the case of teenagers aged between 16 and 19 than compared to other age groups. As a matter of fact per mile on the road, the teenage drivers belonging to this age group are 3 times more likely to get involved in fatal crashes than those aged more than 20. The teenagers more at risk of sustaining injuries are males, teenage drivers riding with other teenage passengers, and newly licensed drivers.
Factors putting the teenage drivers at risk on the roads
1. Inexperience: Teenage drivers are more likely to underestimate dangerous situations while driving than older drivers. They are also susceptible to erroneous decisions than compared to the adults leading to serious car crashes.
2. Speeding: Teenage drivers are more likely to speed their motor vehicle than compared to older drivers. They are many times also guilty of allowing shorter headways (this is the distance between the fronts of one car to the front of the one ahead.)
3. Using seat belts: Compared to other age groups these young adults use the seat belts less often. It was found in a survey that in the year 2017 just 58% of the high school students made sure that they were always wearing seat belts while riding as passengers. Out of the drivers between the age group 15 to 20 that died in car accidents in 2017, half were unrestrained at the time of the car accident and they were aware that the restraint was required.
4. Drunk driving: Although the young drivers have a lower rate of accidents than their older generation in terms of drunk driving, they are less likely to appreciate the need to consume less alcohol if any car driving is expected later. This holds true even when they are staying within the legal speed limits for the road. If the teenage driver has been a part of underage drinking he or she is at the risk of getting their driving license revoked.
5. Number of passengers in the car: The passengers riding in a car are a risk to the teenagers as surveys have indicated that the more the passengers in the car, the greater the risk of car accidents for the teenagers. If you are a teenager you are facing additional risk at these times due to the fact that other members in the enclosed spaces of a car can transmit coronavirus. Try to limit the number of passengers the teenager can carry in his car so that he can concentrate more on the road.
6. Distracted car driving: The distractions arrive in various forms. They can occur due to cell phones, dashboards, and other passengers of the vehicle. Encourage the teenage drivers to maintain their hands on the steering wheel at all times, eyes focused on the road, and their mind on driving the car. Discuss with them the various ways in which distractions occur while driving a car and help them in finding their own solutions for overcoming these distractions.
If you’re teenaged son or daughter is injured due to dangerous driving on someone else’s part due to negligence you can get in touch with a car accident lawyer at the Rojas Law Group if you stay in Tampa, FL area. You can discuss the matter with a car collision attorney to find out the various alternatives available to you.
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