Teen Driver Tips for Parents

 Posted on December 00, 0000 in Motorcycle Accidents

Do you have a teen that is now driving? National statistics show that motor vehicle accidents are the number one cause of death for teenagers in this country. In fact, one study found that more teens are killed in vehicle accidents than they are by homicide or suicide. In 2012, 2,439 teens died in auto accidents, 1,927 teens died as a result of homicide, and 1,863 teens took their own lives.

And almost as many teen passengers are being killed in crashes as teen drivers. Tragically, more than half of those victims were not wearing seat belts at the time of the accident.

The summer months increase the risk to young drivers because they usually spend more time driving than they do during the school year. However, there are steps that parents can take to make sure their teen drivers are safe on the road.

1. Teach your teen basic vehicle maintenance, such as the vehicle fluids and tire pressure. Properly maintaining the brake fluid, coolant, oil, power steering fluid, transmission fluid, and washing fluid helps prevent vehicles from breaking down.
2. Although there has been plenty of education on the subject, make sure your teen fully understands the dangers of distracted driving. Not only should they not be using their cell phone while driving, but other dangerous distractions – having too many passengers in the car, eating, fiddling with the radio – are all activities which can result in fatal crashes.
3. Consider the vehicle you teen is driving in. SUVs and pick-up trucks can cause safety issues for inexperienced drivers that sedans don’t. Newly licensed teens are often safer driving cars which are low to the ground, as sedans are. This helps significantly decrease risks of rollover accidents. Driving a too powerful vehicle can also increase accident risks for you teen.
4. Statistics reveal that one out of every seven drivers still do not use their seat belts, despite the studies that show they really do save lives. Make sure your teen driver clicks their seat belt before they even turn the key in the ignition. Besides saving lives, it is also the law in Illinois to buckle up.

No matter how safe a driver your teen may be, they could still end up in an auto accident caused by another driver. If this happens, contact an experienced Lake County personal injury attorney to find out what legal recourse you may have.