Teens Accidents Are More Likely In Summer; Discuss Distracted Driving With Your Teen
Last month, Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and Students Against Destructive Decisions released the results of a survey of more than 2,300 teenagers from across the United States. If you are a parent, the Atlanta accident injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Shane Smith suggest you share the results with your teen and use them as a way to start a discussion about safe driving.
The authors of the study reported that 68 percent of those who were surveyed were involved in near-miss incidents in 2010-2011. All these near-accidents occurred because the teen was distracted while driving. Of those teens that had near-miss accidents:
86% were distracted by talking
61% were songs music on portable music players
47% had three or more passengers in their vehicle
46% were speeding
36% were talking on cell phones
36% were texting
Did the teens learn from their experience?
Yes and no. Sixty percent of the young women involved in near-miss accidents said they changed their driving behavior after the near miss; only 52 percent of young men changed their driving habits.
What about teens who actually crash?
Of the 253 teens who said they were in a crash, 79 percent of young women said their behavior had changed because of the accident compared to only 58 percent of young men.
Why is the risk of a crash greater in the summer?
During the school year, teens drive an average of 16.4 hours a week. In the summer, teen driving time increases to an average of 23.6 hours. Teenagers are also more likely to drive while under the influence of drugs or alcohol when school is out.
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