May marks the beginning of what has come to be known as the 100 deadliest days of summer—the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day when the average teen driver fatality crash rate spikes to 43%. While some car accidents are unavoidable, many are preventable through simple safety practices. To help the teen drivers in your life stay safe, the Phoenix car accident lawyers at Lerner and Rowe offer the following Phoenix teen driving accident prevention tips.
Three Ways to Avoid a Phoenix Teen Driving Accident
Summertime typically has the highest concentration of teen drivers, since most teenagers will be out of school. While many teenage drivers are perfectly safe, some lack awareness, experience, and knowledge. This can be disastrous for other motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians. Encourage the teenagers in your household to follow the tips below to keep them and everyone else on the road safe.
Avoid Distracted Driving
These days, it’s all too easy to become distracted while driving thanks to mobile phones. But what many teenagers (and even some adults) don’t realize is that almost anything can lead to distracted driving if it compromises your visual, manual, or cognitive focus. Some of these distractions may include:
- Fiddling with the car radio or infotainment system
- Eating while driving
- Unruly or rowdy passengers
- Daydreaming
- Complex, emotional, or otherwise distracting conversations
Keep potential distractions to a minimum, especially when you are a new driver, in order to reduce the risk of a Phoenix teen driving accident.
Stick to the Speed Limit
According to 2022 data from the National Safety Council (NSC), 35% of male drivers between the ages of 15 and 20 involved in fatal accidents were speeding at the time of the crash. Female drivers in the same age range were considerably safer, with 19% of young female drivers speeding at the time of fatal accidents.
It’s important to follow posted speed limits to avoid getting a ticket or causing a traffic accident. In addition, teenagers and inexperienced drivers should be especially careful about managing their speed, as not all speed-related crashes are due to intentional risk-taking.
This means keeping a safe following distance from other vehicles, learning how to accelerate and decelerate safely, and controlling their speed in relation to other traffic on the road and weather conditions.
Don’t Drive Under the Influence
The 100 deadliest days of summer include many major drinking holidays in the U.S., including Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day weekend. Teenagers who are out of school on summer vacation or a long weekend may be more likely to drink and thus more likely to get into an alcohol-involved accident.
The combination of being a less experienced driver and being more susceptible to the intoxicating effects of alcohol or drugs can lead to an increased risk of involvement in a Phoenix teen driving accident.
Talk to your teens about the dangers of drinking and driving, and encourage them to use alternate transportation to get home if they end up imbibing. Some parents may implement a no questions asked policy in which their teen can call them for a ride at any time without worrying about getting into trouble.
Looking for more tips for your teen driver? Check out our parents’ guide to teaching driving.
Injured in a Phoenix Car Accident?
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident through no fault of your own, or if you have lost a loved one in a Phoenix teen driving accident, legal help is available to you. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries, pain and suffering, or for funeral costs.
Call us at 602-977-1900 to schedule a free initial consultation with our Phoenix car accident lawyers. You can also connect with us online using our LiveChat service, or by sending us a secure message regarding your case.
The injury attorneys at Lerner and Rowe have more than 240 years of combined experience serving injury victims across the country, winning billion-dollar results total for their clients. Take the first step towards the settlement that you deserve and contact us today.