Teen drivers often become negligent and reckless, and this becomes a big problem during the summer break. In fact, the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day, which largely coincides with summer break, is called the “100 deadliest days.” Parents in Tennessee should know what they can do to prepare their teens for this time.
First, they should talk to their teens about the dangers and consequences of unsafe driving. According to AAA, the 100 deadliest days saw more than 8,300 deaths from teen driving crashes between 2008 and 2018. This comes to more than seven fatalities for every day of summer during that 11-year period.
Parents should know what teen drivers do that’s particularly dangerous, and to this end, a recent AAA Traffic Safety Culture Index can help. Among respondents aged 16 to 18, 47% said they went 10 miles over the speed limit in a residential area at least once in the past 30 days. Forty percent said they went 15 miles over it on the highway. Texting (35%), red-light running (32%), aggressive driving (31%) and drowsy driving (25%) were also noted.
AAA recommends that parents have a set of driving rules and coach their teens for a minimum of 50 hours. This coaching should be in-vehicle; AAA provides a free four-page guide on the process.
Without this support, teens are more liable to get in car accidents and, if not hurt themselves, hurt others. This can lead to a personal injury claim. Victims may file this claim in the effort to be reimbursed for their medical expenses, vehicle repair costs, pain and suffering and other losses. Doing so on one’s own can be hard, so victims may want to see a lawyer who could evaluate the case in light of the state’s modified comparative negligence.
