Car Safety for Teenage Drivers
Here are some statistics that should give teen drivers pause when it comes to car safety.
The leading cause for of death for U.S.. teens is due to motor vehicle accidents. Teenagers are three times more likely to get into a fatal one compared to the general populace. The age 16-19 group also are most prone to get into vehicle accidents.
Because of this, teenagers should always make car safety the top priority when they get behind the wheel.
Driving may seem easy, but the skill is actually complex and requires experience. So keep these thoughts about car safety in mind.
Driving is a Privilege, Not a Right
The responsibility of your own safety and that of any passengers lies directly on you when driving. So take car safety and responsibility seriously.
The ability to drive is more of a privilege than a right. It can be taken away from you by not just parents, but by the law.
So act responsibly when getting behind the wheel and eliminate distractions. Don't text or answer cell phones, minimize eating or changing the radio frequency.
Also avoid driving while impaired. That means don't drink and drive, driving when sleepy, and especially driving when angry.
Always Wear Your Seat Belt
The biggest tip in car safety is to always wearing your seat belt whenever you drive. Among teen fatalities in vehicular accidents, more than half were because a seat belt wasn't worn.
Many states now have seat belt laws, so that only adds more incentive to get into the good habit of always buckling up before even beginning to drive.
Pay Attention to the Road
The odds of getting into an accident greatly increase when there are other teenage passengers in the car. As the driver, you need to make sure that you make sure that you focused on the traffic on the road more than any conversation going on in the vehicle.
Don't simply look at the car in front of you. Better car safety techniques include keeping an eye on general traffic farther down the road. Whether it is a traffic jam or bicycles and pedestrians crossing the street, you need to see more than the immediate area or else you could end up rear-ending someone or even hit people with your car.
Drive Defensively
Driving defensively means anticipating and avoiding potential negative situations on the road because not everyone is a good driver behind the wheel.
Some defensive driving techniques that help with car safety include driving with the flow of the traffic, keep adequate spacing when trailing a car, and getting into the appropriate lane in advance of a turn beforehand instead of a hasty move that could cause accidents.
When it comes to car safety, it is better to be safe than being involved in accidents no matter how serious they are. Get into too many accidents and insurance premiums not only go up, but you could find yourself one step closer to getting your license suspended.