Parents in Indiana may or may not have heard of the “100 deadliest days,” which is the time, spanning from Memorial Day to Labor Day, when the number of crashes with teen drivers tends to increase. These crashes, says the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, led to over 8,300 fatalities during the 100 deadliest days between 2008 and 2018.
It would be a good idea for parents of a teen driver, especially the newly licensed, to go over the dangers of certain negligent or reckless behaviors before the 100 deadliest days approach. They could speak, for example, about speeding, driving drowsily or aggressively, driving while impaired and not wearing a seatbelt.
These were prominently reported by the participants in AAA’s recent Traffic Safety Culture Index. In it, 72% of respondents aged 16 to 18 said they were unsafe drivers in the past 30 days. One fourth drove drowsy, 31% drove aggressively, 32% ran red lights and 35% texted. Speeding in a residential area was brought up by 47% and speed on the freeway by 40%. Seventeen percent neglected their seatbelt.
Talking about the dangers is not enough. Parents must set a good example as safe drivers so that their teen will take their advice to heart. They could also think about coaching their teen as he or she drives.
Even with all these precautions, teens can choose to be unsafe on the road. When bad decisions like this lead to car accidents, the auto insurance companies may find themselves facing personal injury claims. Those who think they have a reasonable claim may want a lawyer to help them file it. The lawyer might have third-party investigators gather evidence of the defendant’s guilt, which could include the police report and eyewitness testimony. Victims could leave negotiations to their lawyer.
