Understandably, parents in Louisiana and across the country are hesitant about letting their teenage children drive independently. Obtaining their license, demonstrating proper safety procedures and everything in between is often not enough to convince parents that they are ready for the open road. So, are these worries simply because that’s what parents tend to do? The fact is that those worries do come from a reality where teenagers are more likely to cause or be involved in an auto accident.
Drinking and driving
According to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, teenagers are much more prone to drinking and driving. In one NHTSA study from 2011, 24% of teenagers who were involved in a crash were determined to have been drinking before entering their vehicles. However, the CDC has pointed out that drinking isn’t always the only factor that leads to such accidents. The CDC reported that not stopping at a safe distance from other vehicles is another issue with teen drivers.
Falling Stats
Although the comparison between car accidents involving teenagers and adults is still drastically high, it should be noted that there is some good news. Over the course of 10 years, car accidents involving teenagers dropped from 3,838 to 1,987. That was a reduction of over 50%, according to the NHTSA. Government officials have recommended parents to enroll their teenagers into graduated driver licensing programs. These types of programs allow teens to learn gradually about how to drive safely before actually obtaining a license.
There’s no doubt about it; being involved in an auto accident is a very messy situation to find yourself in. Parents who have teenagers involved in an accident should immediately seek legal advice. In some cases, a teenager may be attacked for simply being within a riskier demographic.
