The more passengers riding along with your teen driver the higher their risks are for car accidents in New York City and elsewhere. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), drivers in the state of New York with an intermediate or a restricted driver’s license are not allowed to have more than one passenger under the age of 21 with them. Sill, young drivers who have their unrestricted driver’s license are serious risks for accidents with passengers present.
According to recent studies, published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, parent involvement can help to reduce these risks. One of the recently-released studies analyzed the driving habits of 200 teens. These young drivers who had parents and guardians who were involved in their driving practices were more likely to be a safer driver. They were more likely to be aware of the dangers on the road and the ways to take the necessary precautions.
Our New York City teen car accident attorneys are parents, just like you. We have teen drivers and worry about their safety on our busy roads. With these findings, we urge parents to become more involved in their teen’s driving. Know where they’re going, when they’ll be home and who they’re driving with. It’s also a good idea to hop in the vehicle with them every now and then to get an idea of their driving progress. Teens have the highest risks for car accidents, and parental involvement can be one way to make them safer. With parents who monitor their driving, teens are more likely to accurately perceive roadway risks and less likely to act out behind the wheel.
The first study published in the journal looked at how passengers affected teenage driver’s habits behind the wheel. Experts at the Center for Injury Research and Prevention at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia determined that both male and female teen drivers are at higher risks for traffic accidents when passengers are present. Boy drivers are more likely to speed and to drive aggressively when passengers are present, while girl drivers are more likely to drive while engaging in distractions like talking to their passengers, making phone calls and sending text messages while passengers are present.
In the study of nearly 700 teen drivers, it was obvious that in a majority of accidents, teens driving with their peers were more prone to distractions, which happened just seconds before collisions. Accidents were far less likely when teens were driving solo.
“One in five females and one in four males who were driving with friends were distracted by something inside the vehicle just before they crashed,” said Allison E. Curry, Ph.D., MPH, with the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
New York is one of the forty-five states that restrict teen drivers from transporting too many passengers at a time. Even when teenagers complete the graduated driver’s licensing (GDL) program, parents are asked to stay actively involved in their teen’s driving career to help to mold their child’s safe driving habits for life.
The Law Offices of Nicholas Rose, PLLC is dedicated to helping victims recover from traffic accidents in New York City and elsewhere throughout the state of New York. If you or your teen driver has been injured in a car accident, call 1-877-313-7673 to receive a free consultation from an experienced car accident lawyer.
More Blog Entries:
New York Teens Share Stories of Tragedy and Survival Following a Car Accident, New York Injury Lawyer Blog, December 26, 2011
