Teens & Driving Accidents: What's A Parent To Do?
Teens & Driving Accidents: What's A Parent To Do
?Your teenage years are assumed to be about excitement and what lies ahead: graduating from high school, selecting a college, going on dates, not always listening to what your parents tell you to do... all in training for so-called real life. Sadly, some 6,000 teenagers a year never make it to their adult lives; they lose their lives in auto accidents. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that auto accidents are the foremost cause of death for teens aged 15-19.
The death of a teen is a tragedy. In 2009, 29,485 Florida car crashes involved teenagers. More than 19,000 teens were injured and 153 died. The car crash rate for teens is the highest among all drivers.
Why are car crashes so deadly for teens? There are several reasons:
Inexperience: Teens lack the experience to make good driving decisions and to react in dangerous or unexpected situations.
Bravado: Teens are more likely than adults to engage in risky behavior. They like to show off to their friends and believe that they will not get hurt.
Speeding: In a survey, the majority of teens admitted to regularly driving ten miles over the speed limit. In deadly car wrecks involving teen drivers, 39% of male drivers and 24% of female drivers were found to be exceeding the speed limit.
Dangerous driving behaviors: Thirty-six percent of teen boys and forty-eight percent of teen girl admit to driving aggressively.
Racing: Street racing is most common among teens and young men.
Drug and alcohol use: Underage drinking is a factor in 31 percent of teenage driving deaths. Twenty-five percent of teen drivers involved in accidents have blood alcohol concentrations of .08 or more.
Seat belts: Only 77 percent of teens use a seatbelt regularly. This is the lowest rate of seatbelt use for any age group. More than 40 percent of teens who die in accidents are not wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash.
Peer pressure: Even responsible teens are likely to engage in unsafe behavior when pressured by their friends. Teenage passengers are unlikely to tell a teenage driver if they are concerned about safety. In fact, many teens say they would rather risk their lives by riding with an intoxicated driver than risk social rejection.
Distractions: Most teenagers will readily cop to texting or talking on their cell phone while driving. Cell phones are far from being the only distractions a teen driver faces. Teenagers can also distracted by having friends in the car. A teenager with three passengers faces nearly three times the risk of a fatal wreck as a teen driving alone.
Vehicle: Teens think affordability, not safety when purchasing cars. Inexpensive models and older vehicles that lack many safety features.
Parents can help prevent teenage car accidents. Ride with your teen and look out for their bad driving habits. Make sure their car has working seat belts and that your child always buckles up. Set limits on the amount of friends that can ride with your child. Speak openly to your teens about the real risks of driving under the influence, and make sure your teen knows that you will always come and pick them up if they need a ride, no questions asked.
Losing a child to a car accident is devastating. Monetary compensation can never make up for that loss, but it can help you get accountability. If your teen has been seriously hurt or worse, killed in an auto accident, think speaking with a wrongful death lawyer in West Palm Beach or where ever the wreck occurred. While no settlement can ever replace your lost child, holding those in the wrong accountable is a small step in the right direction. Resolving Child Custody Disputes – The Facilitators: Parenting Coordinators, Mediators, and Evaluators Approaching Child Custody With Sensitivity and Tact 2 Maths and other Puzzles for better development of your Children Kids Karate Martial Arts in Niagara Falls, ON Earth Changes and the Gimme Kids Hindi language learning for kids through online Hindi lessons Toys and Toddlers How to Spot Crystal Meth Abuse in Teenagers Helping Your Child Face Acne Successfully Another Child Dies Needlessly After The Child Welfare System Fails What Is An Early Child Consultant? What Role Does A Consultant Play In Childhood Development? Know How To Prevent Your Child From Getting Addicted to Television Mangosteen, Nature's Secret Healer