Last week, October 14-20, was National Teen Driver Safety Week. The week was designated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The awareness-raising campaign seeks to prevent deaths and injuries caused by teen auto accidents.
Auto accidents are the leading cause of death for US teenagers. NHTSA says driving inexperience and immaturity combines with other factors to result in the high rate of teen accident deaths. Auto accidents can easily result when inexperience and immaturity are combined with:
- Speeding
- Driving drunk
- Driver distractions
- Failure to wear a seatbelt
- Nighttime driving
- Fatigued driving
- Drug use
NHTSA also says parents can prevent these auto accidents by doing their part to enforce their teen driver’s use of seatbelts and to reduce teen alcohol consumption. The graduated driver’s licensing system has also been associated with decreased teen auto accidents. This type of system gradually introduces teens to driving in three licensing stages: learner’s permit, provisional license and then full licensure.
Simple carelessness can quickly lead to lives forever altered by the loss of a loved one. By helping teens get familiar with the road and responsible driving habits, we can prevent these devastating accidents.
If you were injured in an auto accident caused by someone else, please contact the Law Offices of Michael Barszcz, M.D., J.D., to schedule a free consultation.