Parenting teenagers is no easy task. Young people are walking a fine line between childhood and adult life; parents walk a fine line between enforcing the rules and letting a teen make — and learn from — their own mistakes.
However, you don’t need to let your teen make the mistake of causing a fatal car accident. This is a good time to remind teenagers about the consequences of dangerous driving, as Memorial Day kicks off what are referred to as, “The 100 deadliest days” of driving.
As noted by AAA, the 100 days between Memorial Day and Labor Day exceptionally dangerous for teen drivers. In fact, roughly 1,000 young drivers die in accidents every year during this time.
What is causing the increase?
According to reports, numerous factors can be linked to the sharp increase in fatal crashes involving teens over the next few months. These factors include:
- More teens on the road, especially during the day and later at night
- High rate of teens using phones while driving
- Unfamiliarity with surroundings
- Driving with passengers in the car, causing distraction
- Inexperience with situations like traffic congestion or interstate travel
How can we protect our kids and ourselves?
There is no one answer when it comes to this question. As motorists, we can protect ourselves by making sure we buckle up, obeying traffic laws and paying close attention to the road and the drivers around us.
Parents can help their kids stay safe by having ongoing discussions about the responsibilities that come with driving, and alerting them to the dangers of summer driving. It can also be wise to set and enforce certain rules, like driving with no more than one or two passengers at a time or not driving after a certain time.
In the event of an accident, know your options
While you can do certain things to lower your risk, some things are simply out of your control.
If you are injured in a crash this summer, then it can be wise to consult an attorney to learn about your legal options. Regardless of a person’s age when he or she causes an accident, you should not have to pay the price for someone else’s negligent or reckless behavior.