Teen drivers are one of the most at-risk groups of drivers in the United States. Research done by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has found that vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teens. Although many of the risk factors differ from accident to accident, there are some commonalities, and many of them arise due to lack of experience. The newer a person is driving, the less knowledge he or she has to draw on in potentially dangerous situations, which is why being a teen driver (or a teen driver’s parent) can be so nerve-wracking.
However, there are some basic, common sense steps that parents and teens alike can take to reduce the risk of a tragedy.
Here are a few of the most important teen driver safety tips:
- Know and obey the laws of the road. Don’t try to glide through a stop sign, make a right turn on red when there is a sign prohibiting it, or speed. Speed, in particular, is a frequent factor in accidents.
- Always wear your seatbelt, and do not drive anyone else in your car if he or she refuses to wear one.
- Turn your phone off while driving whenever possible. If you must have it on, never text or answer the phone while driving, even if you are sitting at a stop sign or a red light. Find a safe place to pull over if you absolutely must respond to a text or take a call.
- Don’t eat, drink, perform any personal grooming activities, or constantly play with your GPS, radio, or iPod while driving. These things can take your attention off the road as much as answering the phone or texting.
- Be a defensive driver. You can’t control anything except your own car, so don’t assume anything about what other drivers will or won’t do. Watch out for aggressive drivers so that you can move away from them. Always use your turn signals accurately, never cut off another driver, and leave enough room between your car and the car in front of you, especially when driving on the highway.
- Always leave yourself plenty of time, both to get from your current location to your destination and when pulling out into traffic or changing lanes.
- Never pull out into traffic if you can’t see clearly or if you aren’t sure you have time to do it safely.
- Drive the safest car you can afford. Preferably your car will have the latest safety features and be of a size you’re comfortable handling.
- Know the basics of car maintenance, and be aware of when something in your vehicle is off, whether it’s your brake fluid level, low tire pressure, or something even more basic like how much gas is in your tank.
If you do these things, you will be building good habits for the present and the future, making you more likely to be safe on the road. Consult a skilled car accident attorney if you have been involved in an accident with a teen driver.
Gary Massey, Jr., is a well-known courtroom advocate practicing law in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Gary is a native of Tennessee who began practicing law in 1998. He graduated from Cumberland School of Law where he was ranked in the top 3% of his class and was an editor of the Cumberland Law Review.
