The '100 Deadliest Days' of the year for teen drivers has begun
Special to Caloosa Belle Independent
Posted 6/23/22
The Hendry County Sheriff's Office warns the “100 Deadliest Days” has begun. It is the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day …
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The '100 Deadliest Days' of the year for teen drivers has begun
Posted
Special to Caloosa Belle Independent
The Hendry County Sheriff's Office warns the “100 Deadliest Days” has begun. It is the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day when fatal teen crashes increase dramatically.
Nationwide over 7,000 people died in teen-related crashes from 2010–2019 during the summer period.
Teen drivers have a higher rate of fatal crashes, due to immaturity, lack of skills and lack of experience. Teenagers speed, they make mistakes, they wear their safety belts less often and they get distracted easily – especially if their friends are in the car.
Parents are the best line of defense to ensure a safe ride and have more influence on their teens than they may think.
What can you do?
• Talk to your teen about the rules and responsibilities.
Share some stories and statistics related to teen drivers and distracted driving. Remind your teen often that driving is a skill that requires the driver's full attention. Texts and phone calls can wait until arriving at his or her destination.
• Familiarize yourself with Florida's graduated driver licensing law and enforce guidelines for your teen.
View Florida’s laws on distracted driving, create your own rules if necessary. Restricting the number of passengers your teen can have, or the hours your teen can drive, is a very effective way to minimize distraction for your teen driver. Talk about the consequences of distracted driving and make yourself and your teen aware of your state's penalties for talking or texting on a phone while driving.
• Set consequences for distracted driving.
If your teen breaks a distraction rule you've set, consider suspending your teen’s driving privileges, further limiting the hours during which they can drive, or limiting the places where they can drive. Parents could also consider limiting a teen’s access to their cell phone—a punishment that in today’s world could be seen by teens as a serious consequence.
• Set the example by keeping your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel while driving.
Be consistent between the message you tell your teen and your own driving behaviors. Novice teen drivers most often learn from watching their parents.
