According to studies, 1:2 of children in the US have been killed in a car collision before leaving school. Teens, however, have higher mortality rates compared to others of their age group.
You can do several things as a parent or guardian to reduce the risk of a collision and protect your child. Education and family rules are two of the best ways to ensure a safe and responsible driving experience for your child.
How To Prevent Teen Driving Accidents?
Data show that inexperienced drivers are at higher risks of getting involved in a collision. Teens are primarily distracted and less capable of judging vehicle speeds, required space when changing lanes, and maneuvering the vehicle to a safe speed. They are more easily distracted by mobile devices, music, or friends riding behind.
Distractions from the wheels usually cause car accidents among teens. Education is the key to reducing the number of road accidents involving teens. Even the best Austin auto accident attorney highlights that driving a vehicle while talking or texting is alarming. Teens must know this and should be restricted from using gadgets out of concern for their safety.
In recent years, there has been a proliferation of policies to discourage drivers from not paying attention while driving. Because of this, there’s an urgency for your child to understand this and refrain from talking or texting while driving while on the road.
Next is always to buckle your seatbelt when driving. Teens that are involved and severely injured or get killed in car collisions don’t wear seatbelts. This can significantly improve your child’s survival rate when they buckle their seatbelts.
Underage drinking and driving is another major factor that increases fatalities among teen drivers. While most parents won’t suspect their child to do this, influences and peer pressure are significant elements for poor decisions. It’s now or never to discuss the risk of behavior to children once they start driving independently. It’s better to inform you instead of hitting the road when drunk.
- Inexperienced driving
- Distraction while maneuvering the wheel
- Wearing of seat belt
- Drunk driving
To reduce the risk of your teens getting involved in a car crash, parents may want to do the following steps:
Tips To Prevent Car Accidents
Set proper and strong driving rules
Teens must adhere to a number of essential rules when driving to reduce their risk of getting into a car accident:
- No distraction
Many factors contribute to car accidents, including distracted driving. Distractions can include texting, talking, listening to the radio, and others.
- No passengers
Teens are more likely to get into car accidents if they spend time with their friends. Having a passenger also increases the risk of a car accident, as passengers may not focus on the road to glance at their phones.
- Wearing the seat belt
In addition to protecting drivers and passengers, seatbelts lower deaths by 40%.
- No driving after drinking
In addition to impairing your concentration and judgment, drinking and driving have been linked to a higher risk of car accidents for teens regardless of their blood alcohol content (BAC).
Be the best example
When your child watches you drive, they will more likely copy your habits. Not in life but driving, as they will have more chances to model your driving behavior.
Engaging and speeding up in a risky situation can encourage your teen to adopt this more quickly. When you safely maneuver, it’s best to explain to your teen what you are doing so that they understand the rules, risk, and result.
Restrict driving at night
Inclement weather or driving at night can be dangerous compared to driving during the day because visibility is decreased, especially for inexperienced motorists.
Education about common car crash cause
Parents want to protect their children from all disturbing information about accidents. Still, your child needs to understand the consequences of their actions — this will reinforce your policies about safe driving and the examples you have set.
Information about common car crash causes can provide your child with valuable advice about avoiding while driving. Not following traffic regulations, distractions, and the like can increase the risk of a car collision.
Final Words
A child’s involvement in a car accident is a terrifying experience. When you learn the news, you will have numerous questions running through your head, such as who is at fault. That is why it is crucial to understand what needs to be done to prevent incidents of this nature. And why it’s imperative to have an accident lawyer on your side to assist you in sorting it out and offer you valuable insight on how to deal with this situation.