Teenage Drivers and Accidents
Do you have teenage drivers in your family? Teenagers often think they are invincible. They don’t believe accidents will happen to them. So they are more likely to take risks than older, more-experienced drivers.
It’s important to teach our children to be safe drivers—and that training should start before they even reach the legal driving age. We can talk to our children about safe driving, but all the talk in the world won’t make a difference unless we model safe driving behavior ourselves. We should review our own driving habits on a regular basis to see if there’s room for improvement. And we should always be aware that other drivers on the road may not be as conscientious as we are—especially if they are teenagers. The most dangerous teenage drivers may be the teenagers in the other car!
Talk to your teenagers about these specific rules—and make sure you follow them too!
- Never drink and drive.
- Always wear seat belts.
- Never text while driving.
- Never talk on a cell phone while driving. (Adults may talk using a hands-free device.)
- Don’t exceed the posted speed limit. Slow down in constructions zones and when driving in inclement weather.
- Always drive defensively and expect the unexpected.
Teenagers should follow other safety rules as well, like only having one passenger in the car at a time and observing all curfews you impose. For more information about safety and your teenage driver, go to www.nhtsa.gov.
We can do our best to drive safely and to make sure our children do as well, but sometimes accidents occur despite our best efforts. If you and/or your teenager are in an accident, contact the nearest Accident and Injury Chiropractic office immediately. At Accident and Injury, we care about your health, and the health of your family, after a car accident. Let us take care of you and get you back on the road.
