As a newer driver, your teen is always in danger of being involved in a car accident. While there is not much you can do about their lack of experience, there are rule and limits you can put on their driving to help keep them safe this summer. We hope that these will help keep your teen safe but if they are injured in a car accident please contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 for a free legal consultation.
Remind your teen about the dangers of drinking and driving
You may take it as a given that your teenager knows they should not drink and drive. However, it is always worth repeating. Remember that car accidents are the leading cause of death for teenagers and 33% of fatal car accidents involving teens also involved alcohol. The important thing to stress is that a teen does not have to be drunk to be affected by alcohol. Their bodies are not yet able to metabolize the alcohol and any alcohol at all in their blood can result in accidents.
Reduce the distractions your child has while they are driving
Everyone is affected by distractions when they are driving but for teen drivers the distraction can be even worse. This is why we encourage parents to have rules that limit those distractions. For example, limit the number of passengers you allow them to drive with, or only allow them to drive with adults. Do not let them text while they drive. There are many apps you can download that will tell you if your child has used their phone while driving.
Have a curfew and be strict about it
Teens are more likely to get into a car accident after dark. This is true of everyone, but with less driving experience, it is even more true for a teenager. If they are within the first year of driving (which is statistically the most dangerous year for driving) then you may not allow them to drive at night at all. If they ask for an extension, make sure you know where they are going and who they are going with.
Make sure they know what to do if they are involved in an accident
Does your teen know exactly what they should do if they are in a car accident? If you have not talked to them about it, then do not assume that they do. Stress that the first step is to get medical attention but make sure that they also know they should take pictures at the scene, gather information from other involved parties and witnesses, and write down everything that happened. They should never admit fault at the accident.
No matter your best intentions and how well your teen may follow these instructions, there is no way to take the possibility of a car accident down to 0%. If you and / or your teen are injured in a car accident then we urge you to contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 for a free legal consultation.
