Close to a million car accidents involving teenagers occur every year, and tens of thousands of children aged between 13 and 19 lose their lives as a result. It’s no secret that teenagers are overrepresented when it comes to automobile accidents ; the question is, why is this number so high? The answer – distracted driving.
Teenagers are known for wanting to do everything at once, coupled with their short attention spans and seeking out freedom in the form of their own car so they can hang out with friends. The teenage brain, however, is not as developed as the adult brain since the forebrain where the most complicated cognitive thought processes arise doesn’t fully form until one reaches the early twenties. This puts teens at a disadvantage since they may not be able to make good choices with regard to reacting to a potentially dangerous situation on our roads.
Here are some of the things teens do that put them at risk of accidents:
- Talking on the phone while driving
- Changing music channels while driving
- Chatting with other passengers
- Using an iPad to watch internet clips or movies
- Driving while drunk or intoxicated
- Driving while angry or emotionally unstable
- Driving at night or during poor visibility
- Fiddling with the GPS device
- Putting on makeup
- Playing with a pet.
FMCSA and Distracted Driving
Teenagers are more often than not unaware of the dangers of distracted driving. The AAA as well as the FMCSA have come up with sensitization campaigns to get teenagers to pay attention while on the road by asking them not to text while driving, and even producing PSA’s that show teenagers getting into fatal accidents. It is important to speak to your child about the dangers of distracted driving and make them understand the severity of the issue as well as the complications that may arise such as severe injuries, jail time or even the loss of life.
Teenager Distracted Driving Attorney Help
If your son or daughter was injured as a passenger to a distracted teen, or you were involved in an accident with them, please get in touch with us on (773) 906-4159 so we can talk to you about your legal options for compensation. Thanks for choosing us, and we look forward to serving you.