Talk to Your Teen About Safe Driving

Have you been hurt by an unsafe driver? Silverman, McDonald, & Friedman are the car accident attorneys that want to help. We are trusted personal injury lawyers serving clients who live all over Delaware, in towns like Seaford, Wilmington, and Newark. Please contact us if you need legal representation.

How many times did you hear “safety first” from your parents growing up? And how many hundreds of times have you said it to your own children? Many of us are parents ourselves, and we know every mom or dad wants their child to have fun in life, but never at the expense of safety. Teenagers are especially vulnerable to dangerous situations when they begin to drive and ride with their peers. New and inexperienced drivers face a litany of new information upon learning how to drive. Driving can be intense sometimes, even for parents and seasoned motorists. Talking to your teen about safe driving can set them up for a lifetime of success on the road.

Get back to basics

First things first: Your child should see you driving safely, as they model adult behavior. This means seatbelts are imperative, and cell phone usage is a no. Formal driving school and informal observation – coupled with disciplined practice – helps your teenager learn the rules of the road. No teen should take a driving test without knowing:

• Speed limits in the areas they will be driving
• The basic mechanics of driving
• The reliability of their eyesight and whether or not they have night blindness
• How to avoid busy and unsafe areas that might present problems for an inexperienced driver
• How to park and parallel park
• The importance of turn signals and headlights

No cell phones, and no speeding

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration noted that the act of a teenager dialing a telephone while behind the wheel exponentially increases the risk of a car crash or accident. Teens are six times more likely to crash when dialing their phones. Sending a text message is exponentially more deadly. Texting while driving increases teenage car crash risks by 23 times. Talk to your teenager about distracted driving.

The NHTSA also reports that speeding is a problem for teens. One-third of all fatal car crashes for teenagers in 2014 involved speeding. From 2000-2011 there were 19,447 speed-related crashes involving teen drivers. Promoting safe habits among teenagers is crucial, as there are almost 35,000 licensed teenage drivers in the state of Delaware. Five percent of all Delaware drivers are teens.

Tragically, the negligence of an inexperienced driver all too often leads to car crashes and personal injury. The law firm of Silverman, McDonald, & Friedman has reputable and trustworthy car accident lawyers. We represent clients in Wilmington, Seaford, Newark, and throughout the state of Delaware. For a no cost, no obligation consultation, please give us a call at 302-888-2900 or fill out our contact form now.