Remember these rules to protect teen drivers, as National Teen Driver Safety Week kicks off Oct. 18-24, 2015
Homecoming dances and high school football games are already in high gear. Fall is always an exciting time for students and parents.
But it’s also a time to be aware of some of the safety hazards that can arise for teen drivers.
There’s a great effort to prevent teen car accidents that parents should know about, and it’s one that our own auto accident attorneys fully support. It’s a yearly campaign that’s sponsored by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA).
This year, as 2015 National Teen Driver Safety Week kicks off during October 18-24, we have “5 to Drive,” a campaign that highlights the five necessary rules teen drivers need to follow to stay safe behind the wheel.
These rules address the greatest dangers for teen drivers: Alcohol, texting, seat belts, speeding and extra passengers.
Remember the “5 to Drive” for teen drivers
- No drinking and driving.
- Buckle up. Every trip. Every time. Front seat and back.
- Put the phone down. One text or call could wreck it all, as texting while driving is now the No. 1 killer of teen drivers.
- Stop speeding before it stops you.
- No more than one passenger at any time.
How dangerous is teen driving in Michigan?
In a word, very. There were 9,000 Michigan teens and young adults injured in motor vehicle crashes in 2014, according to MichiganTrafficCrashFacts.org.
Nine thousand teens is an eye-popping number.
As a reminder, Michigan has Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) laws for teen drivers. These laws have proven to reduce the number of injuries and deaths to teen drivers with restrictions on time of day driving, texting and extra passengers. To learn more about these laws, take a look at my blog post, “Michigan’s new teen driving law.”
For more tips and to learn more about national teen driver safety programs, visit http://www.nhtsa.gov/Teen-Drivers.
Related info:
The best auto insurance coverage for teen drivers in Michigan
