Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog
Our teen drivers are halfway through summer’s 100 Deadliest Days. This is the time between Memorial Day and Labor Day that marks the deadliest days for our teens to be behind the wheel on Massachusetts roadways.
According to the National Safety Council (NSC), there are ways to help to reduce the risks that our young drivers are facing out there. It all starts with a talk from a parent or a guardian. Keeping safe driving habits a frequent topic in your household can wind up saving their life.
Our Boston car accident lawyers understand that there are currently about 2 million teens in the United States who are under the age of 18 and in their first year of driving. Breaking that down, that’s more than the entire population of Houston. And it’s these drivers who are involved in nearly 1 million car accidents annually. Think of it this way: That’s roughly 2,500 accidents on any given day, with increasing risks during the 100 Deadliest Days.
Traffic accidents continue to be the number one cause of death for teens across the nation. They’re actually more likely to be involved in a fatal accident than any other age group of drivers.
But it’s not only teens who are suffering in these accidents. Many other motorists are injured or killed in collisions with young drivers. According to the NSC, there are nearly 4,000 people killed in teen-driving car accidents every year. That’s enough people to fill up more than 50 school buses.
Common Factors in Fatal Teen Car Accidents:
-Not wearing seat belts is likely to contribute to the risks of death in the event of a teen car accident. Roughly half of all the teens killed in car accidents were not wearing their seat belt. Seat belts continue to be your number one defense against injury and death in the event of an accident.
-Nighttime is a common backdrop for teen car accidents. About 40 percent of accidents occur during the evening hours, most of them happening before midnight.
-Cell phone use and text messaging. Did you know that about 70 percent of teens admit that they text while driving? Did you also know that using a cell phone behind the wheel increases your risks for an accident by 4 times, and text messaging by 8 times?
-Passengers increase your teen’s risk of an accident. The more passengers in the vehicle, the higher the risks are. Consider limiting the number of passengers that your teen is allowed to carry while they’re in the driver’s seat.
-Their inexperience behind the wheel is only hindering their safety. Make sure that you’re providing them with plenty of supervised driving time. You’re presence and input will help to shape their safe driving habits for a lifetime. Let’s make sure we’re steering them in the right direction.
If you or a loved one was involved in a car accident in Massachusetts, call Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers for a free and confidential appointment — (617) 777-7777.
More Blog Entries:
Teens Facing Deadliest Month for Boston Car Accidents, Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog, July 18, 2013
Weather-Related Accidents a Summer Risk in Massachusetts, Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog, June 6, 2013