MIDWAY, Fla. (WTXL) - Studies show that July is the month with the highest incidents of car accidents.
And as we know, many teens are out driving during the summer too, so Family Therapist Jane Marks joined us in studio to talk about how parents can talk to their teens about driving safely:
Sixteen-year-old drivers have a higher crash rate than drivers of any other age. And the summertime is notorious for these kinds of accidents occurring.
We'll start with what we have seen as the top five reasons.
1. Driving experience comes with time, so the first year of driving, teens are still relatively new to driving and are not as skilled. And living here in North Florida you know that weather could change in a moment's notice. So parents, It is important to teach your teen to drive in different weather conditions. Teen drivers whose parents are involved are twice as likely to wear seat belts also, this is a positive outcome.
2. Distracted driving. Of course, you know that in the state of Georgia there are new laws with regard to distracted driving, specifically with regards to texting. More importantly, distracted driving includes driving, eating, putting on makeup, email, entering data into their phones all of which are part of a teen's daily life. 60% of teens say they talk on the phone while driving, the Georgia state law should mitigate that. Talking on a cell phone can double the likelihood of an accident as well as slow a young driver's reaction time down to that of a 70 year old.
3. Driving while under the influence. Everyone knows or should know that driving under the influence of drugs causes poor choices and impairs the ability to drive. Prescribed medications can also alter driving responses, so be mindful of these factors. I don't think we need to say much more about that.
4. Reckless driving. Many teens participate in reckless driving and may take a few speeding tickets and be okay with it. What is interesting about the panhandle is that reckless driving in some areas of our community is a way of life. Mudding and driving in the water and nighttime hunting when it's harder to see are also factors that contribute to teen accidents. What parents need to know is that most of these automobile deaths among teens occur between the hours of 9PM and 6AM. Crash risk for teens increases incrementally with each mile per hour over the speed limit. So parents, what you might want to say is that you will, during these summer months, follow the speed limit.
5. Driving with teen passengers. Teen passengers pose a major distraction to new drivers. Although adults do speed, teenagers are more likely to speed than adults and so when you have peers in the car with you, the risk of an accident doubles. This can increase the chances for a loss of focus, and the key word here is focus on the road. Statistics show that 16 and 17-year-old driving deaths increases with each additional teen passenger.
6. Parents, if you are aware of your teen's friends that drink on a regular basis it is probably smart not to allow them to ride in the car with those friends.
