Car Accident Prevention & Safety Tips For Teen Drivers

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While learning to drive is a thrilling experience for most teenagers, many parents feel very anxious about letting their children out on the road. Driving provides a sense of autonomy, responsibility, and pride for teens, but it also poses risks. Reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that motor vehicle accidents are the second leading cause of death for teens in the U.S, with nearly 2,400 teen drivers killed in car collisions in 2019.

While those statistics seem scary, it's important to note that teen car accidents are preventable with the proper safety strategies in place. As parents, educating your teen before they start driving about the dangers that they might experience can make a substantial difference in their ability to avoid accidents. 

Prevention and Safety Tips for Teen Drivers

  • Driving Experience: Teens lack experience and are more likely to make costly errors that can cause a serious crash or inhibit their ability to avoid hazardous situations. Therefore, working with your teen to build considerable driving experience with your supervision on all types of roads and weather conditions is essential. 
  • Avoid Distractions: Explain to your child the risks of texting while driving to motivate them not to use their phone behind the wheel. As further motivation, you should also share with them that operating a cellphone or any electronic device while driving in Tennessee is illegal and can result in a moving violation ticket and up to $200 in fines. 
  • Learn To Use Signals And Other Car Features: Teen drivers should take time to familiarize themselves with the vehicle they intend to drive. They should know where essential features are situated, like the signals, windshield wipers, cruise control, and hazard lights. Educate your teen to use their vehicle's features, including infotainment and touchscreen systems, responsibly while on the road. 
  • Use Seat Belts: In Tennessee, all drivers are required to use a seat belt system for safety reasons. Also, encourage your child to wear a seat belt when driving to help prevent potential injuries in case they are involved in an accident. 
  • Obey Speed Limits: Every driver must obey the recommended speed limits to reduce the chances of traffic crashes. Teen drivers are notorious for ignoring speed limits which can increase their risk of being victims of or causing accidents. Teach your teen the importance of following the traffic speed limit on the road.
  • Reduce Nighttime and Weekend Driving: Driving during the night is much riskier than driving during the daytime. Fatigue, speeding, compromised night vision, and reckless driving are some risks drivers face when driving at night. 

These risks become even more profound during weekends since there are potentially going to be people out on the roads after a few drinks. While nighttime driving is dangerous for all drivers of different experience levels, it is riskier for teens.

What You Should Do Following a Car Accident

If you just learned that your child's been involved in a Knoxville traffic accident, it's important to take proper steps to ensure everything is under control. Here are some steps you should take following your teen's crash.

  • Seek Medical Attention: Motor vehicle accidents can cause considerable stress to the body and mind, so after a crash, your child may be scared or anxious about what's going to happen next. Even though they may not have visible physical injuries, it's still essential to seek medical help to ensure they are fine and free from any underlying issues. Severe injuries like head trauma, spinal cord injury, or other internal injuries may not manifest themselves until hours or days after the crash.
  • Call the police: Call law enforcement to file a report, ensure everybody is safe, direct traffic, and help remove the vehicles. Make sure you collect the officer's information and a copy of the police report to help make the claim process more straightforward.
  • Gather evidence: Get as much information about the drivers involved as possible—things like their names, vehicle information, licenses, and insurance. Take notes of the accident scene and take photos and videos of the injuries and damages. You should also identify witnesses and write down their names, contacts, addresses, and any other helpful information they may be willing to offer.
  • Contact your insurance company: Notify your insurance company about the crash and inform them of the possibility of a compensation claim.
  • Contact Knoxville Car Accident Attorney: Following an accident, your child may suffer serious injuries, miss work, lose out on important opportunities at school, and incur substantial medical bills. If they were not responsible for the crash, they have the right to pursue compensation for their injuries and damages through a personal injury claim.

How a Knoxville Car Accident Attorney Can Help

If your teen sustained serious injuries due to another person's fault, you need to speak with a skilled car accident attorney as soon as possible. A lawyer can evaluate the facts of your teen's accident and provide sound legal advice and support. At The Law Offices of G. Turner Howard III, we offer a personalized approach to ensure your child gets what they deserve.

We will work closely with you from the initial consultation to settlement to deliver a desirable outcome. Contact us at (865) 658-4012 or complete our online form for a free and confidential consultation. 

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