Are you a parent of a teen driver? If so, it’s important that you and your teenage son or daughter understand that teens are at the greatest risk of being in a crash. Why? The main reason is due to one thing: driver inexperience. Your teen may be a “good driver,” but unfortunately, nothing can replace good old fashioned experience.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. Teens.” The CDC continues, “In 2015, 2,333 teens in the United States ages 16-19 were killed and 221,313 were treated in emergency departments for injuries suffered in motor vehicle crashes in 2014.”
According to the above statistics, six teenagers between 16 and 19-years-of-age died each day in 2015 due to car accident injuries. As a concerned parent, surely, you do NOT want your teen to become a statistic.
What Can I Do to Help My Teen Driver?
While nothing can replace practice and thousands of hours behind the wheel, you can help educate your teen driver and give him or her the tools they need to succeed behind the wheel. To that end, here are our driving tips for teen drivers:
- Have your teen read South Carolina’s Driver’s Manual in full and test them on it.
- Have your teen complete a driver’s education course.
- Teach your child to always wear a seatbelt.
- Educate your child on the dangers of distracted driving, namelytexting while driving.
- Enroll your teenager in a defensive driving course.
- Educate your child on driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, including the dangers of driving on prescription medications.
- Educate your child on South Carolina’s DUI laws.
- Educate your child on the dangers of drowsy driving.
- When your child first gets behind the wheel, have them practice in a parking lot before driving on city streets.
- Before having your child drive on a freeway, ensure that he or she has practiced a lot on city streets.
To learn more, visit SCDMV’s First Driver’s License page by clicking here.
As a parent, the best way to help reduce the risk of your son or daughter being in a crash is to help your child get as much experience behind the wheel and educate them on the rules of the road and defensive driving. This way, you’re arming them with the knowledge and tools they need to make good decisions on the road.
If your child has been injured in a car accident, don’t hesitate to call the Law Office of James R. Snell, Jr., LLC to file a claim for compensation.