Last week was National Teen Driver Safety Week, but it’s not too late to have a talk with your teens about driver safety. Specifically, here are some facts you need to know about teenage texting and driving.
Teen Drivers Already Face an Increased Risk of Having a Car Accident
Teen drivers, even before texting is added to the equation, are already at an increased risk of being in a car accident while driving. Not only are teens at a high risk of being involved in an accident, but the first 12 months after a teen receives his or her license are particularly deadly.
According to TeenSafeDriving.org, the fatal crash rate for 16 year olds is twice as high as it is for those drivers ages 18 or 19. A teen driver’s crash risk is three times that of what it is for drivers 20 and older. The increased risk may be attributed to a teen driver’s inexperience.
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(855) 529-0269Distracted Driving Increases Accident and Injury Rate
greatly increases the risk of an accident and injury. According to Distraction.gov, the Official U.S. Government Website for Distracted Driving, in 2012 alone, there were 3,328 people killed in accidents that involved a distracted driver.
One of the biggest culprits of distracted driving is texting while driving, which includes reading, composing, and sending text messages. Distraction.gov reports that 71 percent of teens and young people say that they have composed or sent a text message while behind the wheel, and 78 percent of teens and young people have admitted to having read a text while driving.
Florida’s Laws Regarding Texting While Driving
Texting while driving is not only unsafe, it’s also illegal in the state of Florida. Florida 2013 Statutes Section 316.305 states that a “person may not operate a motor vehicle while manually typing or entering multiple letters, numbers, symbols, or other characters into a wireless communication device, or while sending or reading data on such a device…”
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Talk with Your Teens about the Dangers of Texting While Driving
If you’re a parent, talking to your teens about the dangers of texting while driving, as well as other unsafe driving practices, is important. Teens should be aware that multiple passengers in a vehicle increases the chance of an accident, that more fatal teen car accidents after dark happen before midnight, that teen driver inexperience is a real concern, and that texting while driving can cause legal and fatal consequences.
Additionally, it’s important to note that teens learn many of their driving skills and techniques from their parents. If you’re a parent of a teen driver, it’s important that you always exercise safe practices while driving, and never use your phone for texting or talking while behind the wheel of a car. This can help teach your child safe driving practices and may make any anti-texting-while-driving rules in your household more effective.
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(855) 529-0269If an Accident Happens, Call a Personal Injury Attorney
If your teenager has been involved in an accident that was caused by another driver, the Fort Lauderdale car accident attorneys at Chalik & Chalik understand how terrified and devastated you must feel. If your teen has been injured, our legal team will help you to recover the compensation your family requires to pay for your teen’s medical bills and other damages so you can secure the required care. To get started on filing a personal injury claim for damages now, call our offices today at 855-529-0269. You can also fill out our online contact form.
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