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Teach Your Teen Safe Driving Habits to Prevent a Palm Beach Car Crash

With all the emphasis given to campaigns against drunk driving, we fail to focus on an equally important issue—teen driving. While there are approximately 22,000 alcohol-related crashes in Florida each year, there are approximately 32,000 teen crashes per year. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), these teen crashes are the leading cause of death for fifteen-to-twenty-year-olds, and account for 40 percent of teen deaths. We need to educate our teens about safe driving habits, especially now that the use of smart phones while driving is becoming an epidemic.

The first step toward changing these staggering Florida car wreck statistics is to understand what causes them. Research points to inexperience as the main reason for Palm Beach teen car crashes. Many teenagers have not been exposed to all the complex situations that can occur on the road. As a result, they often use bad judgment or overreact when they are presented with a surprising or frightening situation.

As a parent, it is your responsibility to help your teen become a safe and responsible driver. Some things you can do to help your teen gain valuable driving experience include:

  • Drive with them—a lot! Practice driving with your teen in situations that they may encounter when they are driving without you. Rainy, icy, or foggy weather; nighttime driving; direct sunlight; and traffic congestion are some conditions under which it would be helpful to practice with your teen.
  • Press the importance of always wearing a seat belt. Your teen needs to know that they should always, always, always wear a seat belt, no matter whether they are driving one mile or 100 miles. Seat belts have been shown to reduce the risk of death by approximately 50 percent, and they are the single most effective precaution you can take to protect yourself from serious injury or death.
  • Talk with your teen about the dangers of distracted driving. The combination of driving while talking or texting on a cell phone is a very dangerous one. A lot can happen in the second or two that passes when they take their eyes off the road. While they are driving is not the time to text friends, check Facebook, or respond to e-mails. You can insist that your teen never talk on their cell phone while driving, but the reality is that it will probably happen. Instead, you may want to meet them halfway. Instill safe driving habits, but offer them safer alternatives, such as a Bluetooth device.
  • Sign a driving contract. Signing a driving contract with your teen can help in a few ways. First, it can help to establish ground rules for driving and serve as a reminder of those rules. Second, it can help you to enforce those rules. For example, if your teen has signed a contract stating that they know what the penalty for a speeding ticket is, they may be less likely to speed. A driving contract is a great way to establish rules and ensure that everyone understands the consequences of breaking those rules.
  • Always be a positive role model. As a parent, you should take a good look at your own driving habits. What kinds of signals are you sending to your children? The best way to ensure that your teens are safe drivers is to offer them a positive role model to look up to. Always buckle up and demonstrate safe driving habits.

At Fetterman & Associates, we offer numerous informational articles to educate our clients about a variety of Palm Beach car-accident situations. Have your teen read these articles and speak with them about their importance. After all, driving involves much more than just operating a motor vehicle. Some helpful articles include:

If your teen is involved in a Palm Beach car accident, contact a Florida car crash attorney at Fetterman & Associates immediately. Remind your teen never to sign anything and not to admit fault, even if they believe they may have caused the accident. As inexperienced drivers, teens are often targeted for being the cause of accidents. Contact our office at 1-800-LAW IN FL (529-4635) so that we can protect their rights after a Palm Beach car crash.
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Fetterman & Associates, PA
648 US Highway One
North Palm Beach, FL 33408
Phone: 561-845-2510
Toll Free: 1-800-LAW IN FL (529-4635)

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Fetterman & Associates, PA
648 US Highway One
North Palm Beach, FL 33408
Phone: 561-845-2510
Toll Free: 1-800-LAW IN FL (529-4635)

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