For Teenagers, Summer Joyriding Can End In Tragedy

During the summer months, young people take to the roads to spend time in the lovely weather. Unfortunately, the 100 days between Memorial Day and Labor day are the deadliest of the year for teenage drivers. This coincides with an uptick in the time that these new drivers are on the roads due to a decrease in the time they are in school.

It may shock you to learn that fatal crashes involving teens account for about 1,000 deaths nationwide in these 100 days. According to the CDC, many of of these deaths are attributed to distracted driving. The biggest challenge lies in how difficult it is to stop teens from being distracted behind the wheel.

Graduated Driver’s License System

Connecticut uses a graduated driver’s license system to help teens slowly acclimate to driving. This is a huge change from the days when teenagers could get their full license right away.

The new system requires teens to have a certain amount of time behind the wheel before they can move up to the next tier. While this restriction might frustrate some teens, it is an important part of improving safety.

The Role of Parents

Parents play an important role in keeping their teens safe. Even though parents usually want them to have a phone, they should make sure that their young drivers know not to drive while they are on the phone. This includes texting, talking, or using apps or the internet.

And it’s not just what parents say. They must set the standard because children will learn from what they see. Parents must make sure that the rules are clearly set and that consequences are appropriate for an infraction. This is especially important during special events like prom and holidays.

When Accidents Are Likely to Occur

Not all accidents involving teenage drivers are fatal. These crashes can also lead to injuries for innocent people. They should be handled in the same manner as other crashes. Injured people should get medical treatment right away, and the police should be called so the accident can be reported and documented properly.

This is especially important if there is damage to the vehicle or an injury involved. There is a good chance that there will be a claim for compensation or the need to have insurance pay for the damages.