For teenagers, passing their drivers test is an exciting time in their lives. Unfortunately, this excitement can lead to car accidents due to distractions while driving. It is important to teach your teenage drivers about how to be safe on the road to minimize the number of distracted driving accidents that occur.
Teenagers are notoriously more distracted while driving due to the over-stimulated world we live in. Having to focus on the road is difficult for teenagers and younger drivers because they are not used to focusing on one task at a time. There are three types of distractions that occur while driving:
- Manual: This causes the driver to take their hands off the wheel.
- Visual: This takes the drivers eyes away from the road.
- Cognitive: This causes the driver to limit their focus on the road.
It is important to be aware of the common causes of car accidents, so you can better prepare your teen.
Phones
For teenagers, phones are an essential part of their lives. While driving, a phone can be extremely distracting and can cause a serious accident to occur. To help avoid this distraction from becoming a problem, there are numerous phone applications your new driver can download that will limit the use of a phone while driving.
Friends
When teenage drivers get their license, they normally want to drive their friends around and have multiple people inside the car. This situation is dangerous and causes many car accidents. Other passengers can be very distracting and can cause the driver to take their focus away from the road.
To combat this problem, do not allow your teenage driver to drive friends around until they have been on the road for a significant amount of time. After a year of driving, new drivers become more comfortable and have fully learned the rules of the road.
Auditory Distractions
Playing music and podcasts can be very distracting. It is also very dangerous when the driver attempts to change songs or stations, as reaching for something can cause the car to swerve. To help protect your teenage driver from musical distractions, have them create a playlist so they do not have to change the music. It is also important to keep the volume low, this enables teenagers to hear car horns and emergency vehicles.
Talk to Your Teenage Driver
Driving while distracted could result in tickets, car accidents, and fatal injuries. If a teenage driver gets pulled over due to being on their phone or from another violation, he or she could receive a ticket and points on their license.
A more serious event could also occur while driving distracted and could put your child in the hospital with a detrimental injury. Sending that one text message or changing the radio to a new station could be a life or death situation that could have been avoided.
Talk to your teenage driver about the dangers of distracted driving. Set up rules and agreements with your child about their driving privileges, and the consequences that will occur if any of the rules are broken. Also, set an example for your child to follow. Parents should also follow all safe driving precautions and drive without distractions.
Atlantic City Car Accident Lawyers at the D’Amato Law Firm Represent Teenage Car Accident Victims
If your teenage driver has been involved in a car accident, our Atlantic City car accident lawyers at the D’Amato Law Firm can help you receive proper compensation. We understand the stress that comes with a child who was been involved in a car accident, and we can assure you that the negligent driver who caused the accident will be held responsible. Call us at 609-926-3300 or contact us online for a free case consultation. Located in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, we serve clients throughout South Jersey, including Atlantic City, Linwood, Galloway Township, Cape May, Vineland, Millville, Bridgeton, Ocean City, and Woodbury.