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How risky is driving among teen drivers for the rest of us?

On Behalf of | May 11, 2018 | Firm News, motor vehicle accidents

One of the moments teens most often look forward to is getting their driver’s license. During this season of their lives, many teens look forward to reaching certain milestones in their lives with a lot of anticipation, parents often see things a bit differently. Teaching your child to drive then having to eventually stay behind at home waiting for their safe return can be nerve-racking to say the least.

Parents’ fears are seemingly rightfully placed according to a study conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. Their research shows that at least 40 percent of all teen motorists are involved in a crash during the first year that they have their driver’s license.

While most of these crashes are nothing more than a minor fender-bender, a significant number of the collisions that do occur are catastrophic. As many as 300,000 teens are injured and another 6,000 are killed in car crashes each year in the United States.

Oftentimes, crashes teens are involved in don’t just end up killing themselves either. As many as 66 percent of all crashes that American teens are involved in end up also killing other adult motorists or pedestrians.

Traffic safety experts warn that the more time a teenager spends driving while supervised, the more likely they are to be safer drivers. They note that far too many parents readily turn the keys over to their teens the minute they get their licenses. Oftentimes, they contend, teens haven’t learned the proper rules of the road including how to drive in different weather conditions by then.

Parents can greatly decrease their teen’s chances of becoming involved in physically debilitating or fatal crashes by ensuring that they practice driving among different road conditions early on. Safety experts note that parents should have their children drive in heavy-traffic areas, while it’s snowing and raining and at night.

They also note that it’s important to ride along with them and coach them when they violate road rules so that they can learn not to repeat the same error again when driving on their own. It’s also important to advise them of the legal implications of driving distracted or drunk as well.

If you’ve been seriously injured after having been struck by a newly licensed teen driver, then a Chicago motor vehicle accidents attorney can advise you of your right to file a lawsuit in your case.

Source: Family Circle, “Crash-proof your teen,” Laura Flynn McCarthy Facebook Pinterest More, accessed May 11, 2018

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