6 tips to reduce accidents
Many teenagers in America are proud to have a driver’s license. This step is a sign of independence and excitement. However young drivers often don’t understand the many precautions involved in taking to the roads. These are six useful tips for teens who drive down the highways or in cities.
1. Always Wear A Seat belt
Many young people lose their lives in auto accidents that occur when they are not wearing safety belts. “In a crash, you’re twice as likely to die if you don’t wear a seat belt. Drivers and passengers aged 17-34 have the lowest seat belt-wearing rates, combined with the highest accident rate.” (think.gov)
2. Put your phone down
While cell phones are important, they shouldn’t be used in cars. Teens should have their phones on them for any emergency situations that may arise while driving. However, neither young drivers or experienced drivers should text or talk on their phones while driving a car. The National Safety Council reports that cell phone use while driving leads to 1.6 million crashes each year. Texting whil e driving is especially prevalent in teens.
3. Slow Down
Slower speeds are also appreciated in construction zones and schools. Because young drivers are still learning to operate a vehicle, they should be especially careful about adhering to speed limits.
4. Prepare for a crash
Accidents are not the only thing that can happen on the roads. Sometimes vehicles can stall out of nowhere. Young drivers should have an emergency kit in their car to deal with such situations. Every vehicle should have a First-Aid kit, a flashlight, and jumper cables.
5. Avoid driving at night
According to statistics, nearly 20% of teenager fatalities occurred between 9 PM and midnight in 2010. Between midnight and 6 am, the rate rose to 24%. When you’re still learning the ropes, it is best to limit overnight driving.
6. Drive alone
Teenagers are particularly vulnerable to peer pressure as we all know. Preventing peer pressure to drive recklessly can be critical to keeping teens safe on the roads. Our suggestion is for young drivers to limit the number of people in the car when their first learning.
Many parents believe that letting their teenagers drive a new vehicle is a waste or a bad investment. Retrospectively, however, it is clear that new cars offer many technologies that increase safety on the roads. Combining stern talk about safe driving habits with technology that automatically slows down a car’s speed may be the best way to keep teenagers safer on the roads.
Summarized from an article by Banafshe Law Firm.
