If you are a teen and can drive, you are at a higher risk of being involved in the motor vehicle crash. The risk is even higher if you are a male teen between the ages of 16 and 19. As a teenager, it is paramount to avoid the situations that contribute to accidents on the road.
A Seattle wrongful death lawyer will inform parents on the major role they play in preventing teenagers from crashing. It would be best if you stopped your children from engaging in habits that cause distractions, such as driving under the influence of alcohol. Your children will be required to follow the instructions you give with regards to when they are allowed to drive and how to conduct themselves.
Based on experience, the right Seattle wrongful death lawyer will point out many causes of teens’ road accidents. Some of the causes include the following:
Experience
If you are a teen with less than two years of experience, it is highly unlikely that you can recognize and react appropriately to dangerous situations. When you are a teenager, you are eager to hit the road, especially the early months of having a driving license.
You are yet to acquire excellent driving skills, which take time to be instilled. You are likely to make mistakes when being a newbie on the road, and consequently, you will be prone to car crashes.
Distractions
As a young driver, you will find yourself easily distracted by other activities that will take your mind off the road. Some of the activities that are likely to distract you as a young person will include gadgets such as phones or the radio.
Other possible distractors that might make you wander off might include chatting activities and eating. You will often engage in these activities and forget that you are driving. The distractions often lead to diminished concentration hence increasing your likelihood to crash.
Substance Abuse
Substance abuse and alcohol consumption is typical among young people and is also a significant cause of road carnages among teens. When you abuse substances, drink alcohol, your concentration, and level of judgment become impaired. You will end up making errors when driving since you might engage in dangerous behavior in the process.
Not Wearing Seat Belts
The use of seat belts reduces the injuries that you can sustain when involved in a crash. You will find teenagers driving without seatbelts on. If you drive and ignore precautionary measures such as using a seat belt, you will likely encounter more injuries since your protection from the impact is limited.
Speeding
If you are a teen and have a thrill for speed, you might easily crash. Driving under high speed might become overwhelming for you, especially when you are required to make abrupt stoppages. At the same time, the high speed might prove hard to manage when making certain maneuvers such as sharp bends.
Weekend and Night Driving
Night times and weekends are the periods when most teens are involved in car accidents. They spend most of the time partying, and in the end, they hit the road when drunk or too excited. You can also attribute these fatalities of teenagers to the lack of experience in driving in the night.
Conclusion
If you are a parent, you would love to keep your children safe, and the best way to do so is by ensuring that your kid is driving under supervision at all times or put up protective measures. The measures put in place will minimize the number of casualties in case your child is involved in a crash.
As a teenager, you are required to avoid instances that increase the chances of being involved in a traffic collision such as alcohol and substance abuse, use of gadgets when driving, speeding, among others.
