One way parents can help their young drivers stay safe behind the wheel is to know the types of driving mistakes teens are most likely to make. When parents and teen drivers are aware of what kinds of bad driving habits they’re inclined to form, they can take steps to avoid them, adds Philadelphia car accident lawyer Rand Spear.
AAA Teen Driving Study
A recent study conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety reveals that top teen driving mistakes include speeding, driver distractions, and poor visual scanning.
Speeding. Speed was a factor in 11 percent of the teen driver crashes AAA studied.
Driver Distractions. Driver distractions accounted for 10 percent of all car accidents involving teenagers. Driver distractions can include everything from GPS devices and cell phones to putting on makeup and interacting with passengers.
Poor Visual Scanning. In 14 percent of teen car accidents, the main factor was poor visual scanning. Teen drivers are inexperienced. Unlike more mature drivers, they haven’t developed the instinct to constantly scan their surroundings. And unlike more experienced drivers, they can’t predict or anticipate how other drivers will behave.
Additional teen driving mistakes included not checking for traffic, bad turning techniques, not braking properly, and a lack of knowledge of the rules of the road.
Philadelphia car accident lawyer Rand Spear explains, “These statistics are particularly troubling when you consider that car accidents are the leading cause of death among teenagers. An astounding one in five 16-year-old drivers will be involved in a crash in just the first year of driving.”
Teen drivers have higher rates of accidents per driver and per mile driven than any other demographic.
If you’re the parent of a teen driver, you can help by talking to your child about safe driving habits, as well as what types of dangerous activities to avoid behind the wheel. It’s also important for parents to model good driving behavior.
For example, if your kids see you constantly glancing at your phone as you drive, they may develop ideas that using a mobile phone while you drive is perfectly normal and acceptable.
Contact a Philadelphia Car Accident Lawyer Today
Have you been injured by a distracted driver? Don’t wait to speak to a car accident lawyer about your case. Discuss the next steps in your case with Philadelphia and New Jersey personal injury lawyer Rand Spear today at 877-GET-RAND.
