100 Deadliest Days Of Summer Aims At Preventing Teen Car Accidents

Teenagers in Brandenton are eager to get out and enjoy summertime activities, particularly after being stuck at home for months on end due to the coronavirus pandemic. With schools letting out and businesses reopening, there are more things for young people to do and more opportunities for them to be out on the roads. Unfortunately, teen car accidents are a serious concern and can leave them as well as other motorists suffering serious and potentially life threatening injuries. A national campaign calls attention to the dangers and the ways in which teen car accidents can be prevented.

Teen Driving Dangers

The ‘100 Deadliest Days of Summer’ refers to the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day, which is when teen car accident rates are the highest. According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), close to 1,000 people die each year during this period as a result of car accidents involving teenagers.

In general, teens are at greater risk for crashes and collisions due to inexperience, which makes them less able to respond to unexpected events. They are also  generally less mature, which impacts their decision making.  Teens are also more likely to engage in dangerous driving behaviors which put themselves, their passengers, and others on the road at risk. This is even more common in the summer months, when teens tend to enjoy greater freedoms. Among the most common contributing factors in teen car accidents include:

• Speeding and racing other vehicles;
• Running red lights and disregarding stop signs;
• Distracted driving, such as reading texts, taking pictures, or changing car stereo settings;
• Drowsy driving, which dulls their reflexes and makes teens more likely to fall asleep behind the wheel;
• Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Parents Can Help To Prevent Teen Car Accidents

The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns that teens are more in danger of suffering potentially fatal injuries as a result of car accidents than any other age group. To help reduce the risks of crashes and collisions, parents are urged to get involved and should take the following steps:

• Limit the times your teen is on the road: Nights and weekends are the most common times for teen car accidents to occur.
• Limit the number of passengers your teen can have in their vehicle: The more passengers in a car, the more likely teens are to get distracted.
• Emphasize traffic safety: Model safe driving behavior for your teen and insist on consequences if they get a ticket or are involved in a fender bender.
• Make provisions for situations where they or another driver is impaired: Emphasize the dangers of impaired driving and agree that they will call you rather than risking their safety.

Let Us Help You Today

At the Law Office of Steven G. Lavely, we are dedicated to helping car accident victims get the compensation they are entitled to in a claim. To schedule a consultation, call or contact our Bradenton car accident attorney online today.

Resource:

newsroom.aaa.com/tag/100-deadliest-days/

https://www.lavelylaw.com/eight-danger-zones-that-increase-teen-car-accident-risks/