4 Ways to Talk to your Teen about Responsible Driving

Talking to your teenager about the importance of responsible driving can help prevent them from ending up in a catastrophic accident. However, it is also important to be prepared to contact an auto accident attorney if your teen ends up causing a serious traffic incident. After all, the other party could end up filing a lawsuit, and you will need to have legal assistance to reduce your risk of losing a lot of money.

Alternatively, if your teen is the person who is injured during an accident, you can utilize the services of a skilled lawyer to help you recover your medical expenses. One Dallas auto accident lawyer states “We are both diligent and resourceful in an accident investigation.” The following are four tips on how to discuss responsible driving with your teen as preventative measures of reducing these risks of having an accident.

1. Provide Them with Facts

Many teens like to believe that they are impervious to danger. However, statistics indicate that teenage drivers are actually more likely than any other age group to end up in an accident. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), seven people between the ages of 16 and 19 die every day in the U.S. due to a traffic incident. This number is cut in half once a driver reaches the age of 20, and this illustrates the need to gain experience and remain focused on the road at all times.

2. The Danger of Alcohol

The CDC has indicated that 22 percent of all fatal accidents that involve drivers under the age of 21 have been caused by alcohol. This number is shockingly high, and it means that it is imperative to be upfront and honest with your teen about the danger of drinking and driving. However, you also need to realize that your teenager is likely to experiment with alcohol. Because of this, it is a good idea to offer to pick them up without punishment if they are responsible enough to call for a ride.

3. Be Realistic about Cellphone Usage

If your teen has ever seen you use your cellphone behind the wheel, you should own up to the mistake that you made and let them know that you understand that you were being unsafe. Additionally, it is a good idea to consider making a deal with your teen that involves having both of you download an app that will prevent your phones from sending or receiving calls and texts while either of you are driving.

4. Talk about the Importance of Seat Belts

Most teens are used to the idea of using a seat belt by the time they get behind the wheel, but this does not mean that they will use it every time. In fact, 56 percent of drivers under the age of 21 who are involved in a fatal accident will not be wearing a seat belt when the collision occurs. Make sure you let your teen know that there is nothing uncool about staying safe for long enough to become an adult.

Sadly, 2,700 teens die on the road every year, and approximately 282,000 more are injured. However, you can help reduce your teen’s odds of ending up in a bad situation by talking to them about the many dangers that they will face on the road. Additionally, you should contact an attorney if your teenager does end up in a traffic accident.

As a mother of 3 teens, Lisa Coleman understands the importance of teaching our kids to be responsible when driving, and shares the importance of retaining an attorney when involved in an accident.

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