Teenagers face their greatest threat when they are in a car. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, automobile accidents are the single leading cause of death among teenagers. Teens are especially at risk when they drive under the following conditions. Be sure your teen is aware of these danger zones so they can take the necessary actions to avoid putting themselves in these vulnerable positions while driving.

Driving at Night

While you want to ensure that your teenager can drive safely at night before they become a licensed driver, there is no good reason for teenagers to regularly drive at night. Since this is a risk factor in teen crashes, make a rule that your teen can't use the car at night.

Driving Without a Seat Belt

Most adults are guilty of occasionally skipping he step of putting on their seat belt when they are in a rush, but the one time that a teen avoids this can be the deadly time. Seat belts save lives, but teens are the least likely drivers to buckle up, so make sure your teen wears their seat belt every single time they are in a moving car.

Driving Without Adequate Experience

Teenagers should not be allowed on the road on their own unless they have plenty of experience. Make it a rule that your teen drive a certain number of hours per week under your supervision or the supervision of another qualified adult driver before they are permitted to get their license.

Driving With Other Teens

Many teenagers want to get their driver's license for a variety of reasons, including the fact that they want to drive their friends around town. Nix this notion early on. Teen drivers are twice as likely to die in a car crash in their friends are in the car, so help them make alternate plans.

Driving While Distracted

Distracted driving can pose an extreme danger to your teen driver and anyone else on the road. Research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety revealed that distracted driving was a factor in 60 percent of moderate and severe car crashes involving teens. Have a zero-tolerance policy about texting and driving, and talk to your teen about other forms of distracted driving.

Finally, keep in mind that your teenager's safety may not always be foremost in their developing minds. It's important to be proactive as a parent to impress upon them how crucial it is to only drive under safe conditions, and setting certain consequences for failing to do so can motivate a teen to stick to safe driving habits. Personal injury attorneys hate to be on either side of a case involving young people, but they often are. Your teenager's life is at risk if they drive in these danger zones, so be sure they avoid them for their own well-being as well as to avoid hurting others on the road. 

For more information about teen driving and these danger zones, check out http://josephbwolfley.com and speak with a personal injury attorney who deals with these cases.

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