For teenagers, car accidents remain the leading cause of death. In many cases, these fatalities are preventable, but despite the fact that many resources are available to help teens, this age group can be hard to reach. Young drivers in Homestead and other parts of Florida may be at risk of car collisions because they are still developing their skills and because they face considerable peer pressure to take risks on the road.
Parents, loved ones, and other adults can help. If you have a teen driver in your life, there are several things you can do:
1) Get your teen extra driving lessons. Extra lessons with a driving instructor or even extra practice with an adult helps your teen establish good habits early. Extra practice and education also can address any bad habits and can build strong skills and confidence behind the wheel.
2) Make sure your teen has a safe car. If your teen buys or inherits an older car, make sure it is road-worthy. Work with the teen to ensure the car is properly maintained so it stays safe.
3) Get your teen in the car with adult passengers. In fact, you may want to limit teen passengers and younger passengers and ask your teenager to drive with adults for a while. Studies have shown teen drivers engage in more risk-taking when driving with teen passengers and take fewer risks when driving with adults.
4) Talk about safe driving. Make it a conversation you have often. Give teens a chance to ask questions, express views about road safety, and share concerns. Make sure you talk about distracted driving, fatigued driving, and other risks. Some teens may assume distracted driving only means talking on the phone while driving or may mistakenly think a “quick peek” at a text is not dangerous. Don’t assume your teen will pick up good habits from others—talk about safety and make it an ongoing discussion.
5) Model safe driving yourself. Your teen needs good role models, so stay calm when driving, follow the posted speed limit, and operate your vehicle safely.
6) Be realistic about young drivers and the pressures they face. It can seem obvious to adults not to get in a car with a drunk driver or to not take other risks, but for teens “just saying no” does not always feel realistic. Talk to your teenager about dangerous situations they have seen or may find themselves in. Ask them about realistic ways they can avoid danger and talk about ways you can be a support.
If your teen is injured in a car accident, contact Flaxman Law Group at 1-866-352-9626 (1-866-FLAXMAN) for a free accident consultation with a Homestead car accident attorney. Our legal team can meet in our Miami, Homestead, or Hollywood offices or we can visit you. Your first consultation with us is free of charge and comes with no obligation, so you risk nothing by speaking with an attorney about your potential case.