National Teen Diver Safety Week, Protecting Our Most Vulnerable Drivers

From the 14th through the 20th of October, our nation will be recognizing the dangers that teen drivers face on our roadways. It’s all a part of National Teen Driver Safety Week. According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV), this week-long campaign takes place during the third week of each October.

After all, car accidents continue to be the number one cause of death for these young Americans. Currently, there are roughly 700,000 teens in the Sunshine State who have a driver’s license. Our Fort Lauderdale car accident lawyers understand that there were close to 30,000 teen drivers in the state of Florida who were involved in car accidents in 2011. In these accidents, there were close to 200 teens (15- to 19-years-old) who were killed. Many of these accidents can be prevented with a little more young driver education and awareness.

To help to spread the word, officials with the DHSMV recently sponsored presentations at high schools in Tallahassee, Apopka, Tampa and Miami. These presentations aimed to provide dramatizations of car accidents as they would be viewed through these young viewers’ eyes. The non-profit organization, Stay Alive From Education (S.A.F.E.) headed these presentations. Officials with the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) also talked to young drivers about the importance of wearing a seat belt, of making sure that we’re sober behind the wheel, about the risks associated with distracted driving and of the risks associated with having teen passengers in our cars.

“It is important that teens learn to be safe drivers from the beginning, and we encourage parents to be involved and set good examples for their children,” said Julie L. Jones, the Executive Director with the DHSMV.

For each day of this year’s campaign, officials nationwide will be focusing on one point of safe driving for these young drivers, according to the National Safety Council (NSC).

Seven Days of Safe Driving:

1.) Seat Belt Use: Seat belts can save lives. Make sure you buckle up during every car ride, whether you’re the driver or a passenger.

2.) Curb Distractions: Cell phones and text messaging devices only increase your risks for an accident. Keep your attention on driving.

3.) Nighttime Driving: Don’t drive at night if you don’t have to. Your risks for an accident during this time are much higher than during the daytime hours.

4.) Passenger Safety: Younger passengers increase your risks of an accident. Keep the young passengers to a minimum.

5.) Florida GDL Laws: Make sure that teens are aware of the state’s graduated driver’s licensing (GDL) program’s laws.

6.) Make the Rules: Set your own driving rules in your home to increase roadway safety where the state’s laws lack.

7.) Know the Risks: Talk with your teen often about the dangers of unsafe driving habits. Become an active member in their driving career.

If you or your teen driver has been involved in a car accident, contact the injury attorneys of Freeman, Mallard, Sharp & Gonzalez, LLC for a free consultation to discuss your case. Call 1-800-561-7777 today!

More Blog Entries:

Red-Light Cameras Not Turning a Profit in West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Attorney Blog, September 27, 2012